Stochastic microswimming model for the average translational velocity of the ribosome

摘要

The motion of the ribosome is modeled here, assuming that its two subunits are subject to stochasticnrearrangements, thus producing different conformations constituting its deformation cycle, or swimming stroke.nUsing a general statistical mechanical formulation, the mean propulsion velocity of the ribosome is obtained asna function of the transition rates among the different conformations and of the relevant deformation variables.nA calculation with reasonable parameter estimations shows that the ribosome can match the average proteinnsynthesis speed with deformations of a size comparable to its radius.