Reaction-diffusion waves of reversible actin filament assembly drive cell oscillations and locomotion

2008 ◽  
pp. 75-92
Author(s):  
Michael G. Vicker
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filament ◽  
Reaction Diffusion ◽  
Diffusion Waves ◽  
Filament Assembly

scholarly journals Visualization and Molecular Analysis of Actin Assembly in Living Cells

1998 ◽  
Vol 143 (7) ◽  
pp. 1919-1930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dorothy A. Schafer ◽  
Matthew D. Welch ◽  
Laura M. Machesky ◽  
Paul C. Bridgman ◽  
Shelley M. Meyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filament ◽  
Eukaryotic Cell ◽  
Cell Periphery ◽  
Actin Assembly ◽  
Cortical Actin ◽  
Lim Kinase ◽  
Permeabilized Cells ◽  
Capping Protein ◽  
Filament Assembly

Actin filament assembly is critical for eukaryotic cell motility. Arp2/3 complex and capping protein (CP) regulate actin assembly in vitro. To understand how these proteins regulate the dynamics of actin filament assembly in a motile cell, we visualized their distribution in living fibroblasts using green flourescent protein (GFP) tagging. Both proteins were concentrated in motile regions at the cell periphery and at dynamic spots within the lamella. Actin assembly was required for the motility and dynamics of spots and for motility at the cell periphery. In permeabilized cells, rhodamine-actin assembled at the cell periphery and at spots, indicating that actin filament barbed ends were present at these locations. Inhibition of the Rho family GTPase rac1, and to a lesser extent cdc42 and RhoA, blocked motility at the cell periphery and the formation of spots. Increased expression of phosphatidylinositol 5-kinase promoted the movement of spots. Increased expression of LIM–kinase-1, which likely inactivates cofilin, decreased the frequency of moving spots and led to the formation of aggregates of GFP–CP. We conclude that spots, which appear as small projections on the surface by whole mount electron microscopy, represent sites of actin assembly where local and transient changes in the cortical actin cytoskeleton take place.

Analysis of reaction–diffusion waves in the ferroin-catalysed Belousov–Zhabotinsky reaction

1999 ◽  
Vol 1 (19) ◽  
pp. 4595-4599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette F. Taylor ◽  
Vilmos Gáspár ◽  
Barry R. Johnson ◽  
Stephen K. Scott
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Diffusion ◽  
Diffusion Waves ◽  
Belousov Zhabotinsky Reaction

scholarly journals Platelet-activating factor both stimulates and "primes" human polymorphonuclear leukocyte actin filament assembly

Blood ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1921-1927 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Shalit ◽  
GA Dabiri ◽  
FS Southwick
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filament ◽  
Polymorphonuclear Leukocyte ◽  
Actin Polymerization ◽  
Platelet Activating Factor ◽  
Calcium Ionophore ◽  
Leukotriene B4 ◽  
Calcium Ionophore A23187 ◽  
Optimal Concentration ◽  
Ionophore A23187 ◽  
Filament Assembly

Abstract The phospholipid inflammatory mediator, platelet-activating factor (PAF), can stimulate polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) chemotaxis. Conversion of cytoplasmic actin from monomers to filaments is associated with PMN motile functions. Using the fluorescent actin filament stain nitrobenzodiaxole phallicidin, we have investigated PAF's effects on human PMN actin polymerization. Concentrations of PAF between 1 x 10(-11) to 1 x 10(-6) mol/L induced actin filament (F- actin) assembly. An optimal concentration of PAF (1–5 x 10(-8) mol/L) induced a significantly lower rise in relative F-actin content (1.72 +/- 0.07 SEM) than an optimal concentration (5 x 10(-7) mol/L) of the chemotactic peptide FMLP (2.21 +/- 0.06). Unlike FMLP (F-actin content: 1.25 +/- 0.04 at five seconds), PAF stimulation was associated with a delay of more than five seconds (1.04 +/- 0.01 at five seconds) before an increase in F-actin could be detected. F-actin concentration reached maximum levels by 30 to 60 seconds. Prolonged stimulation (20 minutes) with PAF was associated with two phases of polymerization and depolymerization. Like FMLP, the initiation of actin filament assembly by PAF required receptor occupancy, this reaction being totally blocked by the PAF receptor inhibitor, SKI 63–441. As evidenced by the lack of inhibition by nordihydroguaiaretic acid (5 to 20 mumol/L), the production of leukotriene B4 was not required for the PAF-induced changes in F-actin. Like FMLP, PAF's ability to stimulate PMN actin polymerization was inhibited by pertussis toxin (.05 to 2.5 micrograms/mL) but not impaired by the addition of EGTA and/or the calcium ionophore A23187. Preincubation with 1 x 10(-11) to 1 x 10(-8) mol/L PAF for 2 to 60 minutes enhanced the rise in F-actin content induced by low concentrations of FMLP (5 x 10(-12) to 1 x 10(-10) mol/L) indicating that this phospholipid was capable of “priming” the PMN actin polymerization response.

scholarly journals Induction of De Novo Subcortical Actin Filament Assembly by Treponema denticola Major Outer Sheath Protein

2004 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 3650-3654 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Amin ◽  
Andy C. S. Ho ◽  
Jenny Y. Lin ◽  
Andre Paes Batista da Silva ◽  
Michael Glogauer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Actin Filament ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Treponema Denticola ◽  
Actin Reorganization ◽  
Filament Assembly ◽  
Outer Sheath

ABSTRACT Treponema denticola and its major outer sheath protein (Msp) induce actin reorganization in fibroblasts. We adapted a barbed-end labeling/imaging assay to monitor Msp-induced subcortical actin filament assembly in neutrophils and fibroblasts. Msp, at an actin-reorganizing concentration, inhibited migration of these dissimilar cell types, whose cytoskeletal functions in locomotion and phagocytosis are crucial for immunity and healing of peripheral infections.

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