Weirich, KL;
Banerjee, S;
Dasbiswas, K;
Witten, TA;
Vaikuntanathan, S;
Gardel, ML;
(2017)
Liquid behavior of cross-linked actin bundles.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
, 114
(9)
pp. 2131-2136.
10.1073/pnas.1616133114.
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Abstract
The actin cytoskeleton is a critical regulator of cytoplasmic architecture and mechanics, essential in a myriad of physiological processes. Here we demonstrate a liquid phase of actin filaments in the presence of the physiological cross-linker, filamin. Filamin condenses short actin filaments into spindle-shaped droplets, or tactoids, with shape dynamics consistent with a continuum model of anisotropic liquids. We find that cross-linker density controls the droplet shape and deformation timescales, consistent with a variable interfacial tension and viscosity. Near the liquid-solid transition, cross-linked actin bundles show behaviors reminiscent of fluid threads, including capillary instabilities and contraction. These data reveal a liquid droplet phase of actin, demixed from the surrounding solution and dominated by interfacial tension. These results suggest a mechanism to control organization, morphology, and dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Liquid behavior of cross-linked actin bundles |
| Location: | United States |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1073/pnas.1616133114 |
| Publisher version: | http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1616133114 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions. |
| Keywords: | Actin, cytoskeleton, liquid crystal, phase separation |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1542940 |
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