2020
Structures of cofilin-induced structural changes reveal local and asymmetric perturbations of actin filaments
Huehn AR, Bibeau JP, Schramm AC, Cao W, De La Cruz EM, Sindelar CV. Structures of cofilin-induced structural changes reveal local and asymmetric perturbations of actin filaments. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2020, 117: 1478-1484. PMID: 31900364, PMCID: PMC6983403, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1915987117.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFilament severingActin filamentsSevering activityCofilin/ADF familyActin conformational changesActin filament severingFilament-severing activityCryo-electron microscopy dataSevers actin filamentsWeak severing activityUnique binding modeCofilin clustersActin structuresCofilin bindingCofilin-decorated segmentsCofilinMolecular understandingBarbed endsConformational changesCooperative bindingBinding cooperativityFilament endsPositive cooperativityBinding modesSevering
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 segmentsFilaments
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
2014
Site-specific cation release drives actin filament severing by vertebrate cofilin
Kang H, Bradley MJ, Cao W, Zhou K, Grintsevich EE, Michelot A, Sindelar CV, Hochstrasser M, De La Cruz EM. Site-specific cation release drives actin filament severing by vertebrate cofilin. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2014, 111: 17821-17826. PMID: 25468977, PMCID: PMC4273407, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1413397111.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsFilament severingActin filamentsActin filament severingKey regulatory functionsConcentration of endsActin filament fragmentationEukaryotic cellsCation-binding sitesProtein cofilinDeletion mutantsS. cerevisiaeSubunit exchangeFilament turnoverActin polymerizationEssential functionsSite-specific interactionsCofilinMolecular mechanismsAssembly dynamicsRegulatory functionsActin moleculesFilament fragmentationFilament structureSustained motilitySevering
2004
Cofilin Binding to Muscle and Non-muscle Actin Filaments: Isoform-dependent Cooperative Interactions
De La Cruz EM. Cofilin Binding to Muscle and Non-muscle Actin Filaments: Isoform-dependent Cooperative Interactions. Journal Of Molecular Biology 2004, 346: 557-564. PMID: 15670604, DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2004.11.065.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsActin filamentsConcentration of cofilinActin isoformsFilament severingRegulatory proteinsCooperative free energyActin fluorescencePyrene-actin fluorescenceCofilinFilament bindingHuman cofilinEquilibrium bindingCooperative interactionsIntrinsic affinitySkeletal muscleIsoformsBindingFilamentsSeveringMuscle actinHill coefficientCooperativity modelFilament latticeIsolated siteProtein