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. 1996 Dec;71(6):3467–3476. doi: 10.1016/S0006-3495(96)79542-5

Kinesin force generation measured using a centrifuge microscope sperm-gliding motility assay.

K Hall 1, D Cole 1, Y Yeh 1, R J Baskin 1
PMCID: PMC1233834  PMID: 8968616

Abstract

To measure force generation and characterize the relationship between force and velocity in kinesin-driven motility we have developed a centrifuge microscope sperm-gliding motility assay. The average (extrapolated) value of maximum isometric force at low kinesin density was 0.90 +/- 0.14 pN. Furthermore, in the experiments at low kinesin density, sperm pulled off before stall at forces between 0.40 and 0.75 pN. To further characterize our kinesin-demembranated sperm assay we estimated maximum isometric force using a laser trap-based assay. At low kinesin density, 4.34 +/- 1.5 pN was the maximum force. Using values of axoneme stiffness available from other studies, we concluded that, in our centrifuge microscope-based assay, a sperm axoneme functions as a lever arm, magnifying the centrifugal force and leading to pull-off before stall. In addition, drag of the distal portion of the axoneme is increased by the centrifugal force (because the axoneme is rotated into closer proximity to the glass surface) and represents an additional force that the kinesin motor must overcome.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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