Gravitational Symmetry Breaking Leads to a Polar Liquid Crystal Phase of Microtubules In Vitro |
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Authors: | J. A. Tuszynski M. V. Sataric S. Portet J. M. Dixon |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2J1, Canada;(2) Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, U.K. |
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Abstract: | Recent space-flight experiments performed by Tabony's team provided further evidence that a microgravity environment strongly affects the spatio-temporal organization of microtubule assemblies. Characteristic time and length scales were found that govern the organization of oriented bundles under Earth's gravitational field (GF). No such organization has been observed in a microgravity environment. This paper discusses physical mechanisms resulting in pattern formation under gravity and its disappearance in microgravity. The subtle interplay between chemical kinetics, diffusion, gravitational drift, thermal fluctuations, electrostatic interactions and liquid crystalline characteristics provides a plausible scenario. |
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Keywords: | microtubules microgravity tubulin assembly pattern formation |
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