Figure 5.
Molecular Crowding Favors Multiple Bindings and Reduces the Exchange of Molecules
Binding and exchange of large molecules (with Pbind = 0.9) in and out synapses at steady state. Synaptic areas had 50 binding sites and the indicated number of obstacles t = 0. Sites were distanced 10 nm (A1,B1, C1, and D1) or 15 nm (A2, B2, C2, and D2) and distributed in 1 (black), 2 (red), 4 (blue), or 7 (magenta) clusters as indicated in A1. (Mean ± SEM, 10 independent simulations, statistical comparisons in case of 200 obstacles: one-way ANOVA, ns: not significant, ∗∗∗∗p < 0.0001).
(A1-A2) Number of bound molecules at the end of the simulation period (225s).
(B1-B2) Percentage of simulated molecules (total 200) that enter at least once in the synaptic area.
(C1-C2) Number of bindings (to the same or a different site) per molecule during the whole simulation run. (D1-D2) Percentage of exchange (proportion of molecules that enter and exit the synaptic area at least once).