Simulations of Actomyosin-Based Molecular Shuttles Controlled by External Force

The high speed of actomyosin is appealing for fast biosensor applications, but its high flexibility is undesirable. To improve directional controllability, microfabricated thin channels are used. An alternative inexpensive solution to this controllability may allow cheaper implementations. Actin filament has been shown to change direction in response to the applied external force. Knowledge of how the actin filament moves under the external force prior to the actual experiments would be useful in tuning the strength and direction of the external force. Here, we used simulation to elucidate the actin filament directional manipulation by the external force field. We found that the actin direction can be controlled inexpensively by selectively applying positive or negative external force fields.