Large and stable: actin aster networks formed via entropic forces
Biopolymer networks play a major role as part of the cytoskeleton. They provide stable structures and act as a medium for signal transport. These features encourage the application of such networks as organic computation devices. While research on this topic is not advanced yet, previous results are...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Chemistry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2022.899478/full |
| _version_ | 1828279505602478080 |
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| author | Friedrich Fabian Spukti Jörg Schnauß Jörg Schnauß Jörg Schnauß |
| author_facet | Friedrich Fabian Spukti Jörg Schnauß Jörg Schnauß Jörg Schnauß |
| author_sort | Friedrich Fabian Spukti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Biopolymer networks play a major role as part of the cytoskeleton. They provide stable structures and act as a medium for signal transport. These features encourage the application of such networks as organic computation devices. While research on this topic is not advanced yet, previous results are very promising. The protein actin in particular appears advantageous. It can be arranged to various stable structures and transmit several signals. In this study aster shaped networks were self-assembled via entropic forces by the crowding agent methyl cellulose. These networks are characterised by a regular and uniquely thick bundle structure, but have so far only been accounted in droplets of 100 μm diameter. We report now regular asters in an area of a few mm2 that could be observed even after months. Such stability outside of an organism is striking and underlines the great potential actin aster networks display. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:45:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7930238a54ef4b218efcacd7bca4dd16 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2646 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:45:49Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Chemistry |
| spelling | doaj.art-7930238a54ef4b218efcacd7bca4dd162022-12-22T02:55:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Chemistry2296-26462022-08-011010.3389/fchem.2022.899478899478Large and stable: actin aster networks formed via entropic forcesFriedrich Fabian Spukti0Jörg Schnauß1Jörg Schnauß2Jörg Schnauß3Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, GermanyPeter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, GermanyUnconventional Computing Laboratory, Department of Computer Science, University of the West of England, Bristol, United KingdomBiopolymer networks play a major role as part of the cytoskeleton. They provide stable structures and act as a medium for signal transport. These features encourage the application of such networks as organic computation devices. While research on this topic is not advanced yet, previous results are very promising. The protein actin in particular appears advantageous. It can be arranged to various stable structures and transmit several signals. In this study aster shaped networks were self-assembled via entropic forces by the crowding agent methyl cellulose. These networks are characterised by a regular and uniquely thick bundle structure, but have so far only been accounted in droplets of 100 μm diameter. We report now regular asters in an area of a few mm2 that could be observed even after months. Such stability outside of an organism is striking and underlines the great potential actin aster networks display.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2022.899478/fullactinmolecular crowdingentropic forcesbiocomputingnetwork formationbiopolymer stability |
| spellingShingle | Friedrich Fabian Spukti Jörg Schnauß Jörg Schnauß Jörg Schnauß Large and stable: actin aster networks formed via entropic forces Frontiers in Chemistry actin molecular crowding entropic forces biocomputing network formation biopolymer stability |
| title | Large and stable: actin aster networks formed via entropic forces |
| title_full | Large and stable: actin aster networks formed via entropic forces |
| title_fullStr | Large and stable: actin aster networks formed via entropic forces |
| title_full_unstemmed | Large and stable: actin aster networks formed via entropic forces |
| title_short | Large and stable: actin aster networks formed via entropic forces |
| title_sort | large and stable actin aster networks formed via entropic forces |
| topic | actin molecular crowding entropic forces biocomputing network formation biopolymer stability |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2022.899478/full |
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