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Diverse cytomotive actins and tubulins share a polymerization switch mechanism conferring robust dynamics

Wagstaff, JM; Planelles-Herrero, VJ; Sharov, G; Alnami, A; Kozielski, F; Derivery, E; Löwe, J; (2023) Diverse cytomotive actins and tubulins share a polymerization switch mechanism conferring robust dynamics. Science Advances , 9 (13) , Article eadf3021. 10.1126/sciadv.adf3021. Green open access

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Abstract

Protein filaments are used in myriads of ways to organize other molecules within cells. Some filament-forming proteins couple the hydrolysis of nucleotides to their polymerization cycle, thus powering the movement of other molecules. These filaments are termed cytomotive. Only members of the actin and tubulin protein superfamilies are known to form cytomotive filaments. We examined the basis of cytomotivity via structural studies of the polymerization cycles of actin and tubulin homologs from across the tree of life. We analyzed published data and performed structural experiments designed to disentangle functional components of these complex filament systems. Our analysis demonstrates the existence of shared subunit polymerization switches among both cytomotive actins and tubulins, i.e., the conformation of subunits switches upon assembly into filaments. These cytomotive switches can explain filament robustness, by enabling the coupling of kinetic and structural polarities required for cytomotive behaviors and by ensuring that single cytomotive filaments do not fall apart.

Type: Article
Title: Diverse cytomotive actins and tubulins share a polymerization switch mechanism conferring robust dynamics
Location: United States
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf3021
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adf3021
Language: English
Additional information: Copyright © 2023 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC BY).
Keywords: Actins, Tubulin, Polymerization, Cytoskeleton, Nucleotides, Actin Cytoskeleton
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Life Sciences > UCL School of Pharmacy > Pharma and Bio Chemistry
URI: https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10168959
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