Modeling the Stochastic Behavior of Kinesin-Coated Beads.

In this paper, we consider kinesin molecular motors transporting a bead over a network of microtubules and develop mathematical models to describe the stochastic behavior of kinesins carrying a bead. In developing the mathematical models, we consider the kinesins' stochastic behavior (1) at an intersection of crossing microtubules to obtain the probabilities of pass, switch, pause and dissociate stochastic behaviors of the kinesins carrying a bead and (2) over a network of microtubules through multiple microtubule intersections to obtain transition probabilities for kinesins carrying a bead starting from a given sender to reach a given receiver in the network. We examine the accuracy of the developed mathematical models using in vitro experimental results in our previous work.