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Article
An Investigation of the Plausibility of Stochastic Resonance in Tubulin Dimers
Biosystems
  • Travis J. A. Craddock, Nova Southeastern University
  • Aditya A. Saha
  • Jack A. Tuszynski, University of Alberta
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-1-2012
Disciplines
Abstract/Excerpt

This paper considers the possibility of stochastic resonance (SR) in tubulin dimers. A formula for the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of tubulin as a function of temperature is derived. The effective potential experienced by a delocalized electron in such a dimer is postulated to be a symmetric bimodal well. Inter-well and intra-well motions are described by Kramers rate theory and the Langevin formalism respectively. The frequency-dependent expression for the SNR shows that the response of the electron-tubulin dimer system is enhanced by ambient dipolar oscillations in specific frequency regimes. This is a characteristic of SR. Biophysical implications of this property such as the relevance to 8.085 MHz microtubule resonance and the clocking mechanism are detailed.

DOI
10.1016/j.biosystems.2011.09.005
Citation Information
Travis J. A. Craddock, Aditya A. Saha and Jack A. Tuszynski. "An Investigation of the Plausibility of Stochastic Resonance in Tubulin Dimers" Biosystems Vol. 107 Iss. 2 (2012) p. 81 - 87 ISSN: 0303-2647
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/travis-craddock/12/