Chapter 17 – Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
Chapter 17 – Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.1 Microfilaments and Actin Structures
17.2 Dynamics of Actin Filaments
17.3 Mechanisms of Actin Filament Assembly
17.4 Organization of Actin-Based Cellular Structures
17.5 Myosins: Actin-Based Motor Proteins
17.6 Myosin-Powered Movements
17.7 Cell Migration: Mechanism, Signaling, and
Chemotaxis
Chapter 17 – Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.1 Microfilaments and Actin Structures
17.2 Dynamics of Actin Filaments
17.3 Mechanisms of Actin Filament Assembly
17.4 Organization of Actin-Based Cellular Structures
17.5 Myosins: Actin-Based Motor Proteins
17.6 Myosin-Powered Movements
17.7 Cell Migration: Mechanism, Signaling, and
Chemotaxis
Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.1 Microfilaments and Actin Structures
• Actin is a highly conserved and abundant eukaryotic
cell protein.
• Cells assemble diverse structures of actin filaments
for different functions.
• G-actin reversibly assembles into polarized F-actin
filaments:
– composed of two protofilaments, in which the actin
subunits all oriented in the same direction
– protofilaments are wound around each other to form a
helix with the actin nucleotide-binding site exposed on the
(−) end of each protofilament
Chapter 17 – Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.1 Microfilaments and Actin Structures
17.2 Dynamics of Actin Filaments
17.3 Mechanisms of Actin Filament Assembly
17.4 Organization of Actin-Based Cellular Structures
17.5 Myosins: Actin-Based Motor Proteins
17.6 Myosin-Powered Movements
17.7 Cell Migration: Mechanism, Signaling, and
Chemotaxis
[Link]
Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.2 Dynamics of Actin Filaments
• Actin filament polymerization
– in vitro mechanism
– kinetics
– critical concentration
• Regulation of actin filament polymerization and
stability by G-actin and F-actin binding proteins
Chapter 17 – Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.1 Microfilaments and Actin Structures
17.2 Dynamics of Actin Filaments
17.3 Mechanisms of Actin Filament Assembly
17.4 Organization of Actin-Based Cellular Structures
17.5 Myosins: Actin-Based Motor Proteins
17.6 Myosin-Powered Movements
17.7 Cell Migration: Mechanism, Signaling, and
Chemotaxis
Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.3 Mechanisms of Actin Filament Assembly
• Functionally different actin-based structures are
nucleated by formins and Arp2/3 complexes.
• Arp2/3-dependent actin polymerization:
– moves pathogenic bacteria and endocytic vesicles within
cells
– pushes the leading edge membrane forward in moving
cells
• Toxins affect the dynamics of actin polymerization.
Chapter 17 – Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.1 Microfilaments and Actin Structures
17.2 Dynamics of Actin Filaments
17.3 Mechanisms of Actin Filament Assembly
17.4 Organization of Actin-Based Cellular Structures
17.5 Myosins: Actin-Based Motor Proteins
17.6 Myosin-Powered Movements
17.7 Cell Migration: Mechanism, Signaling, and
Chemotaxis
Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.4 Organization of Actin-Based Cellular Structures
• Proteins of different lengths and flexibilities and F-
actin–binding sites organize different actin filament
structures with specific functions.
• Actin filaments are attached laterally and end-on to
membranes.
• Defects in actin filament organizations and
membrane attachment cause human diseases.
Chapter 17 – Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.1 Microfilaments and Actin Structures
17.2 Dynamics of Actin Filaments
17.3 Mechanisms of Actin Filament Assembly
17.4 Organization of Actin-Based Cellular Structures
17.5 Myosins: Actin-Based Motor Proteins
17.6 Myosin-Powered Movements
17.7 Cell Migration: Mechanism, Signaling, and
Chemotaxis
Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.5 Myosins: Actin-Based Motor Proteins
• Myosin superfamily protein structure – common
head and specific tail domains
• Crossbridge cycle converts ATP hydrolysis energy to
mechanical work on actin filaments
• Myosin class-specific step sizes and processivity
support different functions.
Chapter 17 – Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.1 Microfilaments and Actin Structures
17.2 Dynamics of Actin Filaments
17.3 Mechanisms of Actin Filament Assembly
17.4 Organization of Actin-Based Cellular Structures
17.5 Myosins: Actin-Based Motor Proteins
17.6 Myosin-Powered Movements
17.7 Cell Migration: Mechanism, Signaling, and
Chemotaxis
Rho family members are Ras-like proteins
that regulate cell morphology and polarity
Rho protein localizes to the trailing edge of
crawling neutrophils
Actin / Rho
Listeria Hijacks Actin
Cell Organization and Movement I:
Microfilaments
17.7 Cell Migration: Mechanism, Signaling, and
Chemotaxis
• Cell migration – coordinated activities in different
cell regions
• Rho GTPase family proteins regulate formation of
different actin filament organizations and myosin II
activity to direct cell motility.
Mechanisms of collective cell migration are similar to
single cell migration, but split over many cells.
Collective cell migration has applications to
morphogensis, tissue repair and cancer invasion.
More cells to work with
• Simultaneous coordinated polarization of
many cells at leading edge
• Physical coupling drags cells forward
• Lamella at cells at leading edge and
underneath cell collective
• More remodelling of migration track, to
accommodate increased cell mass and volume
• Retraction of multiple cells at rear
Cell-cell interactions, both physical and chemical
become important.
Interactions with the stroma can also affect collective
cell migration.
Cell Migration Assays
Invasion Assays
