Schedule Nov 06, 2002
Crawling Cells & Comet Tails
Dr. Julie Theriot, Stanford
http://cmgm.stanford.edu/theriot/
The shapes and movements of eukaryotic cells depend on the dynamic organization of filamentous protein polymers, collectively called the "cytoskeleton". Actin is the most abundant of the cytoskeletal proteins, a small globular protein that can self- associate to form helical filaments thousands of subunits in length. Polymerizing networks of actin filaments are capable of exerting significant mechanical forces. Certain intracellular bacterial pathogens, including the food-poisoning agent Listeria monocytogenes, have developed the ability to induce the polymerization of human host cell actin filaments on their surfaces and to harness the resulting force for efficient intra- and intercellular spread of the infection. Moving bacteria are associated with a characteristic actin structure that resembles the tail of a comet. We have reconstituted comet tail formation in a physically manipulable artificial system and are investigating the mechanism of force generation in this form of biological motility.

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