Time-resolved studies of actin organization by multivalent ions and actin-binding proteins

ORAL

Abstract

Actin is one of the principal components in the eukaryotic cytoskeleton, the architecture of which is highly regulated for a wide range of biological functions. In the presence of multivalent salts or actin-binding proteins, it is known that F-actin can organize into bundles or networks. In this work, we use time-resolved confocal microscopy to study the dynamics of actin bundle growth induced by multivalent ions and by espin, a prototypical actin binding protein that is known to induce bundles. For divalent ion induced bundles, we observe a rapid lateral saturation followed by longitudinal growth of bundles, in sharp contrast to the bundling mechanism of espin, which favors finite length bundles.

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Authors

  • Ghee Hwee Lai

    Dept. of Physics, Dept. of Materials Science \& Engineering, F. Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • Kirstin Purdy

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

  • James R. Bartles

    Northwestern University

  • Gerard C. L. Wong

    University of Illinois, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Department of Physics, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Dept. of Physics, Dept. of Bioengineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Dept. of Physics, Dept. of Materials Science \& Engineering, F. Seitz Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign