Reversal of contractility as a signature of self-organization in cytoskeletal bundles
Bundles of cytoskeletal filaments and molecular motors generate motion in living cells, and have internal structures ranging from very organized to apparently disordered. The mechanisms powering the disordered structures are debated, and existing models predominantly predict that they are contractil...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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eLife Sciences Publications Ltd
2020-03-01
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| Series: | eLife |
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| Online Access: | https://elifesciences.org/articles/51751 |
| _version_ | 1828165768444903424 |
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| author | Martin Lenz |
| author_facet | Martin Lenz |
| author_sort | Martin Lenz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Bundles of cytoskeletal filaments and molecular motors generate motion in living cells, and have internal structures ranging from very organized to apparently disordered. The mechanisms powering the disordered structures are debated, and existing models predominantly predict that they are contractile. We reexamine this prediction through a theoretical treatment of the interplay between three well-characterized internal dynamical processes in cytoskeletal bundles: filament assembly and disassembly, the attachement-detachment dynamics of motors and that of crosslinking proteins. The resulting self-organization is easily understood in terms of motor and crosslink localization, and allows for an extensive control of the active bundle mechanics, including reversals of the filaments’ apparent velocities and the possibility of generating extension instead of contraction. This reversal mirrors some recent experimental observations, and provides a robust criterion to experimentally elucidate the underpinnings of both actomyosin activity and the dynamics of microtubule/motor assemblies in vitro as well as in diverse intracellular structures ranging from contractile bundles to the mitotic spindle. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:49:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5c8ff2b266a14a3ca0e0b552e888e641 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2050-084X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:49:20Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | eLife Sciences Publications Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | eLife |
| spelling | doaj.art-5c8ff2b266a14a3ca0e0b552e888e6412022-12-22T03:52:58ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2020-03-01910.7554/eLife.51751Reversal of contractility as a signature of self-organization in cytoskeletal bundlesMartin Lenz0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2307-1106Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, LPTMS, Orsay, France; PMMH, CNRS, ESPCI Paris, PSL University, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, FranceBundles of cytoskeletal filaments and molecular motors generate motion in living cells, and have internal structures ranging from very organized to apparently disordered. The mechanisms powering the disordered structures are debated, and existing models predominantly predict that they are contractile. We reexamine this prediction through a theoretical treatment of the interplay between three well-characterized internal dynamical processes in cytoskeletal bundles: filament assembly and disassembly, the attachement-detachment dynamics of motors and that of crosslinking proteins. The resulting self-organization is easily understood in terms of motor and crosslink localization, and allows for an extensive control of the active bundle mechanics, including reversals of the filaments’ apparent velocities and the possibility of generating extension instead of contraction. This reversal mirrors some recent experimental observations, and provides a robust criterion to experimentally elucidate the underpinnings of both actomyosin activity and the dynamics of microtubule/motor assemblies in vitro as well as in diverse intracellular structures ranging from contractile bundles to the mitotic spindle.https://elifesciences.org/articles/51751cytoskeletonmathematical modelingactinmicrotubulesmolecular motors |
| spellingShingle | Martin Lenz Reversal of contractility as a signature of self-organization in cytoskeletal bundles eLife cytoskeleton mathematical modeling actin microtubules molecular motors |
| title | Reversal of contractility as a signature of self-organization in cytoskeletal bundles |
| title_full | Reversal of contractility as a signature of self-organization in cytoskeletal bundles |
| title_fullStr | Reversal of contractility as a signature of self-organization in cytoskeletal bundles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reversal of contractility as a signature of self-organization in cytoskeletal bundles |
| title_short | Reversal of contractility as a signature of self-organization in cytoskeletal bundles |
| title_sort | reversal of contractility as a signature of self organization in cytoskeletal bundles |
| topic | cytoskeleton mathematical modeling actin microtubules molecular motors |
| url | https://elifesciences.org/articles/51751 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT martinlenz reversalofcontractilityasasignatureofselforganizationincytoskeletalbundles |