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High-frequency nanometre-scale vibration in 'quiescent' flagellar axonemes

Nature volume 340, pages 476–478 (1989)Cite this article

Abstract

THE movement of cilia and flagella is based on the interaction between dynein arms and microtubules coupled with ATP hydroly-sis. Although it is established that dynein arms cause adjacent microtubules to slide, little is known about the elementary process underlying the force production. To look more closely at the mechano-chemical conversion mechanism, we recently developed an optical method for measuring a nanometre-scale displacement with a time-resolution better than 1 ms. We now report the detection of high frequency ( ∼ 300 Hz) vibration of sub-nanometre ampli-tude in non-beating flagellar axonemes. This vibration could reflect the movement of individual activated dynein arms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 153, Japan

    Shinji Kamimura

  2. Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, 464, Japan

    Ritsu Kamiya

Authors
  1. Shinji Kamimura
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  2. Ritsu Kamiya
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Kamimura, S., Kamiya, R. High-frequency nanometre-scale vibration in 'quiescent' flagellar axonemes. Nature 340, 476–478 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/340476a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/340476a0

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