A mechanochemical model of actin filaments |
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Authors: | Osman N Yogurtcu Jin Seob Kim Sean X Sun |
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Institution: | Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. |
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Abstract: | In eukaryotic cells, actin filaments are involved in important processes such as motility, division, cell shape regulation, contractility, and mechanosensation. Actin filaments are polymerized chains of monomers, which themselves undergo a range of chemical events such as ATP hydrolysis, polymerization, and depolymerization. When forces are applied to F-actin, in addition to filament mechanical deformations, the applied force must also influence chemical events in the filament. We develop an intermediate-scale model of actin filaments that combines actin chemistry with filament-level deformations. The model is able to compute mechanical responses of F-actin during bending and stretching. The model also describes the interplay between ATP hydrolysis and filament deformations, including possible force-induced chemical state changes of actin monomers in the filament. The model can also be used to model the action of several actin-associated proteins, and for large-scale simulation of F-actin networks. All together, our model shows that mechanics and chemistry must be considered together to understand cytoskeletal dynamics in living cells. |
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