2017
Phosphomimetic S3D cofilin binds but only weakly severs actin filaments
Elam WA, Cao W, Kang H, Huehn A, Hocky GM, Prochniewicz E, Schramm AC, Negrón K, Garcia J, Bonello TT, Gunning PW, Thomas DD, Voth GA, Sindelar CV, De La Cruz EM. Phosphomimetic S3D cofilin binds but only weakly severs actin filaments. Journal Of Biological Chemistry 2017, 292: 19565-19579. PMID: 28939776, PMCID: PMC5712599, DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.808378.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsActin bindingWild-type cofilinActin filament severingHigh cooperativitySubstitution of serineCofilin bindsActin cytoskeletonProtein cofilinCell divisionSer-3Filament severingAtom molecular dynamics simulationsSubunit interactionsN-terminusCofilinBiological processesActin filamentsTime-resolved phosphorescence anisotropyElectron cryomicroscopyRapid remodelingPhosphorylationSeveringFilament mechanical propertiesActin segmentsFilamentsActin Filament Strain Promotes Severing and Cofilin Dissociation
Schramm AC, Hocky GM, Voth GA, Blanchoin L, Martiel JL, De La Cruz EM. Actin Filament Strain Promotes Severing and Cofilin Dissociation. Biophysical Journal 2017, 112: 2624-2633. PMID: 28636918, PMCID: PMC5479148, DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.05.016.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsContinuum mechanics modelStrain energy distributionMechanical propertiesMechanics modelFilament twistingEnhanced spatial resolutionFilament mechanical propertiesElastic energyTorsional rigidityShape deformationSpatial resolutionContinuum modelTorsional flexibilityFilament bendingCofilactin filamentsDynamics simulationsMolecular dynamics simulationsBucklingCofilin-decorated segmentsDeformationBendingBoundariesEnergy distributionLoadFilament model
2016
Cations Stiffen Actin Filaments by Adhering a Key Structural Element to Adjacent Subunits
Hocky GM, Baker JL, Bradley MJ, Sinitskiy AV, De La Cruz EM, Voth GA. Cations Stiffen Actin Filaments by Adhering a Key Structural Element to Adjacent Subunits. The Journal Of Physical Chemistry B 2016, 120: 4558-4567. PMID: 27146246, PMCID: PMC4959277, DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b02741.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsActin filamentsRegulatory proteinsD-loopSite-specific mutagenesisSpecific divalent cationsFilament severingStructural bioinformaticsAdjacent subunitsAccessible conformational spaceSubunit conformationActin subunitsKey structural elementsAmino acidsLarge-scale changesConformational spaceSubunitsFilament mechanical propertiesProteinFilamentsDivalent cationsMagnesium ionsMolecular dynamics simulationsConformationSitesCofilin
2015
Mechanical Heterogeneity Favors Fragmentation of Strained Actin Filaments
De La Cruz EM, Martiel JL, Blanchoin L. Mechanical Heterogeneity Favors Fragmentation of Strained Actin Filaments. Biophysical Journal 2015, 108: 2270-2281. PMID: 25954884, PMCID: PMC4423049, DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.03.058.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsMechanical propertiesFilament deformationEnergy densityElastic energyLocal shear forcesDeformation modesFilament strainFilament mechanical propertiesCompliant segmentsMechanical heterogeneityCompressive forceShear forceDeformationFree energy densityElastic free energy densityTwisting rigiditiesShape deformationLocal discontinuitiesSpatial confinementElasticitySevering efficiencyEnergyEnergy gradientConfinementForce
2013
Regulation of Actin by Ion-Linked Equilibria
Kang H, Bradley MJ, Elam WA, De La Cruz EM. Regulation of Actin by Ion-Linked Equilibria. Biophysical Journal 2013, 105: 2621-2628. PMID: 24359734, PMCID: PMC3882474, DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2013.10.032.Peer-Reviewed Original Research