Cross-correlated TIRF/AFM shows Self-assembled Synthetic Myosin Filaments are Asymmetric - Implications for Motile Filaments

Details Cross-correlated TIRF/AFM shows Self-assembled Synthetic Myosin Filaments are Asymmetric - Implications for Motile Filaments Cross-correlated TIRF/AFM shows Self-assembled Synthetic Myosin Filaments are Asymmetric - Implications for Motile Filaments

2008-11-19

arxiv.org/abs/0811.3040v1

Biology

Quantitative Biology

Biomolecules

25 pages, 8 figures. Accepted in Biophysical Journal

Scientific paper

Myosin-II's rod-like tail drives filament assembly with a head arrangement that should generate equal and opposite contractile forces on actin--if one assumes that the filament is a symmetric bipole. Self-assembled myosin filaments are shown here to be asymmetric in physiological buffer based on cross-correlated images from both atomic force microscopy (AFM) and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF). Quantitative cross-correlation of these orthogonal methods produces structural information unavailable to either method alone in showing that fluorescence intensity along the filament length is proportional to height. This implies that myosin heads form a shell around the filament axis, consistent with F-actin binding. A motor density of ~50 - 100 heads/micron is further estimated but with an average of 32% more motors on one half of any given filament compared to the other, regardless of length. A purely entropic pyramidal lattice model is developed that qualitatively captures this lack of length dependence and the distribution of filament asymmetries. Such strongly asymmetric bipoles are likely to produce an imbalanced contractile force in cells and in actin-myosin gels, and thereby contribute to motility as well as cytoskeletal tension.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Cross-correlated TIRF/AFM shows Self-assembled Synthetic Myosin Filaments are Asymmetric - Implications for Motile Filaments does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Cross-correlated TIRF/AFM shows Self-assembled Synthetic Myosin Filaments are Asymmetric - Implications for Motile Filaments, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cross-correlated TIRF/AFM shows Self-assembled Synthetic Myosin Filaments are Asymmetric - Implications for Motile Filaments will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-428916