Related Experiment Videos
Totally asymmetric exclusion process with extended objects: a model for protein synthesis.
Leah B Shaw1, R K P Zia, Kelvin H Lee
1Department of Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853-2501, USA. lbs22@cornell.edu
Summary
Protein synthesis models extend the totally asymmetric exclusion process to include particles with spatial extent. This research provides exact solutions for closed systems and analyzes open systems using diffusion equations and domain wall theory.
Area of Science:
- Statistical Mechanics
- Biophysics
- Computational Biology
Background:
- Protein synthesis is a fundamental biological process.
- Existing models often simplify molecules to single points.
- Lattice gas models are used to study transport phenomena.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model protein synthesis using a lattice gas with spatially extended particles.
- To extend the totally asymmetric exclusion process (TASEP) to include extended objects.
- To analyze both uniform and non-uniform systems with and without disorder.
Main Methods:
- Exact solutions for uniform closed systems.
- Continuum limit analysis yielding a modified diffusion equation for particle density.
- Domain wall theory to predict phase diagrams and currents in open systems.
- Comparison of approximate methods with Monte Carlo simulations for disordered systems.
Main Results:
- Exact solutions are obtainable for uniform closed lattice gas systems.
- A modified diffusion equation accurately describes particle density profiles in uniform open systems.
- Domain wall theory effectively predicts phase diagrams and currents.
- Approximate methods show promise when compared to simulations in disordered systems.
Conclusions:
- The extended TASEP provides a robust framework for modeling protein synthesis.
- Analytical and theoretical approaches offer accurate predictions for system behavior.
- The study highlights the importance of particle spatial extent in biological transport processes.