Article
Biology
Saravanan Palani, Sayantika Ghosh, Esther Ivorra-Molla, Scott Clarke, Andrejus Suchenko, Mohan K. Balasubramanian, Darius Vasco Koster
Summary: Actin filaments play a central role in biological processes, with different protein bindings and molecular motor interactions driving the actin cytoskeleton to exhibit diverse geometries, including curved structures like rings and cages.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Carlos Bueno, James Liman, Nicholas Schafer, Margaret Cheung, Peter Wolynes
Summary: The actin cytoskeleton, modulated by actin-binding proteins, is essential for cell movement, reproduction, and sensing of the environment. This study proposes a simple analytical model based on chemical kinetics and the Flory-Stockmayer theory to understand how different actin-binding proteins interact with actin filaments to give rise to emergent mechanical behavior. It is found that changes in the concentration and activity of actin-binding proteins can lead to a phase transition of the actin network, allowing cells to perform active contraction and change their rheological properties.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jane T. Seto, Kelly N. Roeszler, Lyra R. Meehan, Harrison D. Wood, Chrystal Tiong, Lucinda Bek, Siaw F. Lee, Manan Shah, Kate G. R. Quinlan, Paul Gregorevic, Peter J. Houweling, Kathryn N. North
Summary: Homozygosity for the common ACTN3 null polymorphism leads to deficiency in alpha-actinin-3, impacting sprint and power performance. Alpha-actinin-3 plays a critical role in regulating protein synthesis and breakdown in skeletal muscle, affecting muscle mass development. Deficiency in alpha-actinin-3 reduces the muscle wasting response to glucocorticoid dexamethasone, providing insights into the positive selection of the ACTN3 577X allele.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Alexandra Lamtyugina, Yuqing Qiu, Etienne Fodor, Aaron R. Dinner, Suriyanarayanan Vaikuntanathan
Summary: This letter presents a thermodynamic control principle for structural transitions in a model cytoskeletal network, using methods from large deviation theory. The authors demonstrate that biasing the dynamics with respect to the work done by nonequilibrium components can effectively renormalize the interaction strength between these components, resulting in morphological transitions.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Somanna Kollimada, Fabrice Senger, Timothee Vignaud, Manuel Thery, Laurent Blanchoin, Laetitia Kurzawa
Summary: The magnitude of traction force in cells is mainly determined by the relative numbers of molecular motors and cross-linkers per actin filament, rather than the amounts of an individual component in the cytoskeletal network.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Ji Qi, Weiwei Cheng, Zhe Gao, Yuanyuan Chen, Megan L. Shipton, David Furkert, Alfred C. Chin, Andrew M. Riley, Dorothea Fiedler, Barry V. L. Potter, Chenglai Fu
Summary: The antifungal drug itraconazole has been found to disrupt focal adhesion dynamics and actin cytoskeleton remodeling by displacing IP6K1/5-InsP7, thus inhibiting cell motility. The study reveals the critical roles of IP6K1-generated 5-InsP7 in regulating these cellular processes and provides functional mechanisms by which itraconazole inhibits angiogenesis.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuliia Vyborna, Jean-Christophe Galas, Andre Estevez-Torres
Summary: Living cells move and change shape due to chemical reactions that modify their cytoskeleton. By using DNA-responsive surfaces to control an active gel made of microtubules, forces can be generated to structure the gel, forming periodic band patterns or global contractions depending on DNA sequence and concentration. The structuration of the active gel can be spatially controlled in the presence of a DNA concentration gradient, showing potential for the development of life-like materials with self-shaping properties.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Chen-Hua Dong, Tao Jiang, Hang Yin, Hu Song, Yi Zhang, Hao Geng, Pei-Cong Shi, Yi-Xin Xu, Hong Gao, Lian-Yu Liu, Lei Zhou, Zhao-Hui Zhang, Jun Song
Summary: LMNB2 is significantly upregulated in colorectal cancer tissues and cell lines, promoting cell proliferation by regulating cell cycle progression. It affects patient survival and may serve as a potential prognostic marker and therapy target by regulating p21-mediated mechanisms.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Biology
Yashar Bashirzadeh, Steven A. Redford, Chatipat Lorpaiboon, Alessandro Groaz, Thomas Litschel, Petra Schwille, Glen M. Hocky, Aaron R. Dinner, Allen P. Liu, Hossein Moghimianavval
Summary: In a study encapsulating actin, alpha-actinin, and fascin in giant unilamellar vesicles, researchers observed that physical confinement leads to the formation of complex protein structures, with alpha-actinin and fascin sorting into separate domains within aster structures. This boundary-imposed effect may be a general mechanism for creating emergent structures in biopolymer networks with multiple crosslinkers.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Cell Biology
Niv Ierushalmi, Kinneret Keren
Summary: Symmetry breaking is crucial for the formation of cell structure and function, enabling cell movement, division, and polarity establishment. The mechanisms of symmetry breaking, while diverse, often share common characteristics like nematic, polar, and chiral cytoskeletal symmetry breaking in animal cells. These mechanisms involve both chemical and mechanical processes that cooperate to break symmetry in a robust manner.
CURRENT OPINION IN CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Andrea-Hermina Gyoerfi, Alexandru-Emil Matei, Maximilian Fuchs, Chunguang Liang, Aleix Rius Rigau, Xuezhi Hong, Honglin Zhu, Markus Luber, Christina Bergmann, Clara Dees, Ingo Ludolph, Raymund E. Horch, Oliver Distler, Jiucun Wang, Bertram Bengsch, Georg Schett, Meik Kunz, Joerg H. W. Distler
Summary: The study reveals that Engrailed 1 is reexpressed in the skin of systemic sclerosis patients and functions as a molecular amplifier of TGF beta signaling by regulating gene expression through modulating the activity of SP1 and other transcription factors. The findings suggest a coordinating role of EN1 on ROCK activity and cytoskeleton reorganization during myofibroblast differentiation, both in standard fibroblast culture systems and in vitro skin models.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mary Williard Elting
Summary: The study shows how the mitotic crosslinker PRC1 can adjust its behavior to regulate the speed of microtubule sliding, contributing to the assembly of the mitotic spindle.
Article
Cell Biology
Isabelle Loiodice, Mickael Garnier, Ivaylo Nikolov, Angela Taddei
Summary: Silent chromatin in eukaryotic cells is mainly located at the nuclear periphery, and the establishment of silencing is a stepwise process occurring over several cell cycles. Studying a budding yeast model, researchers have identified mechanisms and protein recruitment relationships during the process of establishing silencing at an ectopic locus.
Article
Cell Biology
Nicolas Vignier, Maria Chatzifrangkeskou, Luca Pinton, Hugo Wioland, Thibaut Marais, Megane Lemaitre, Caroline Le Dour, Cecile Peccate, Deborah Cardoso, Alain Schmitt, Wei Wu, Maria-Grazia Biferi, Naira Naouar, Coline Macquart, Maud Beuvin, Valerie Decostre, Gisele Bonne, Guillaume Romet-Lemonne, Howard J. Worman, Francesco Saverio Tedesco, Antoine Jegou, Antoine Muchir
Summary: Cofilins play a crucial role in regulating the actin cytoskeleton and muscle function, while mutations in the LMNA gene cause increased expression of cofilin-1 in muscle cells, leading to impaired sarcomere structure and force generation. This finding provides insight into the molecular pathogenesis of muscular dystrophies caused by LMNA mutations.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yotam Blech-Hermoni, Kalpana Subedi, Maya Silver, Leah Jensen, Stephen Coscia, Malcolm M. Kates, Yongmei Zhao, Castle Raley, Nancy Edwards, Bao Tran, Abhik Ray-Chaudhary, Pankaj Pathak, Ami Mankodi
Summary: LDB3, a member of the Enigma family of PDZ-LIM proteins, is widely expressed in the central and peripheral nervous system and plays important roles in actin cytoskeleton remodeling and neural development. Alternative splicing of LDB3 in neurons suggests splicing-dependent regulation of its expression. The expression of LDB3 in various regions of the brain and its interaction with other proteins indicate its relevance in motor planning, execution, and neurogenic manifestations in muscle diseases.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephanie I. Fraley, Pei-hsun Wu, Lijuan He, Yunfeng Feng, Ranjini Krisnamurthy, Gregory D. Longmore, Denis Wirtz
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2015)
Article
Immunology
Xiaolu Xu, Xinxin Wang, Elizabeth M. Todd, Emily R. Jaeger, Jennifer L. Vella, Olivia L. Mooren, Yunfeng Feng, Jiancheng Hu, John A. Cooper, Sharon Celeste Morley, Yina H. Huang
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2016)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tingting Li, Jin'e Liu, Hao Cai, Baomei Wang, Yunfeng Feng, Jun Liu
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2018)
Article
Biophysics
Saumendra Bajpai, Yunfeng Feng, Denis Wirtz, Gregory D. Longmore
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2013)
Article
Oncology
Yunfeng Feng, Hai Ngu, Shannon K. Alford, Michael Ward, Frank Yin, Gregory D. Longmore
EXPERIMENTAL CELL RESEARCH
(2013)
Article
Cell Biology
Stephanie I. Fraley, Yunfeng Feng, Ranjini Krishnamurthy, Dong-Hwee Kim, Alfredo Celedon, Gregory D. Longmore, Denis Wirtz
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2010)
Letter
Cell Biology
Stephanie I. Fraley, Yunfeng Feng, Denis Wirtz, Gregory D. Longmore
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2011)
Article
Cell Biology
Daniel E. Foxler, Katherine S. Bridge, Victoria James, Thomas M. Webb, Maureen Mee, Sybil C. K. Wong, Yunfeng Feng, Dumitru Constantin-Teodosiu, Thorgunnur Eyfjord Petursdottir, Johannes Bjornsson, Sigurdur Ingvarsson, Peter J. Ratcliffe, Gregory D. Longmore, Tyson V. Sharp
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2012)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shiqiao Ye, Tristan W. Fowler, Nathan J. Pavlos, Pei Ying Ng, Kai Liang, Yunfeng Feng, Minghao Zheng, Richard Kurten, Stavros C. Manolagas, Haibo Zhao
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zhaoyuan Hou, Hongzhuang Peng, David E. White, Dmitri G. Negorev, Gerd G. Maul, Yunfeng Feng, Gregory D. Longmore, Samuel Waxman, Arthur Zelent, Frank J. Rauscher
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2010)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephanie I. Fraley, Yunfeng Feng, Anjil Giri, Gregory D. Longmore, Denis Wirtz
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2012)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Dong-Hwee Kim, Shyam B. Khatau, Yunfeng Feng, Sam Walcott, Sean X. Sun, Gregory D. Longmore, Denis Wirtz
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2012)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Na Li, Wenwen Xu, Ying Yuan, Natarajan Ayithan, Yasutomo Imai, Xuesong Wu, Halli Miller, Michael Olson, Yunfeng Feng, Yina H. Huang, Mary Jo Turk, Samuel T. Hwang, Subramaniam Malarkannan, Li Wang
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2017)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Yunfeng Feng, Hao Cai, Xinxin Huang, Zhengli Li, Zhenfen Chi, Ri-Li Ge
Summary: The study found that collagen-activated DDR2 enhances the proteolytic activity of MT1-MMP, ensuring the continuous degradation of ECM in the remnants. This reveals a new alternative ECM degradation mechanism mediated by MT1-MMP.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Toshifumi Fujiwara, Shiqiao Ye, Thiago Castro-Gomes, Caylin G. Winchell, Norma W. Andrews, Daniel E. Voth, Kottayil I. Varughese, Samuel G. Mackintosh, Yunfeng Feng, Nathan Pavlos, Takashi Nakamura, Stavros C. Manolagas, Haibo Zhao