Heterogeneity in single motor velocity leads to enhanced velocity of membrane-bound cargoes carried by teams of molecular motors

Intracellular cargoes like vesicles and organelles are observed to be transported by teams of molecular motors. These teams are often composed of motors with heterogeneous single motor properties. But the relevance of heterogeneity on the multi-motor functioning is unclear, especially in the in-vivo context where the motors are coupled through a lipid membrane. Previous experiments have shown that membrane-bound cargoes move with a higher velocity than membrane-free cargoes when carried by teams of motors. This higher velocity is attributed to the asymmetric off rate of motors and recentering of fluid cargoes upon detachment of lagging motors. Here we show using Brownian dynamics simulations that the underlying heterogeneity in single motor velocities is essential for the above mechanism and hence the cargo speedup. We also explore whether there is an optimum motor heterogeneity that maximizes the flux of cargoes. Our results explain previous experimental results with testable predictions for future experiments on membrane-bound cargo transport.