Intracellular tension sensor reveals mechanical anisotropy of the actin cytoskeleton

The filamentous actin (F-actin) cytoskeleton is a composite material consisting of cortical actin and bundled F-actin stress fibers, which together mediate the mechanical behaviors of the cell, from cell division to cell migration. However, as mechanical forces are typically measured upon transmission to the extracellular matrix, the internal distribution of forces within the cytoskeleton is unknown. Likewise, how distinct F-actin architectures contribute to the generation and transmission of mechanical forces is unclear. Therefore, we have developed a molecular tension sensor that embeds into the F-actin cytoskeleton. Using this sensor, we measure tension within stress fibers and cortical actin, as the cell is subject to uniaxial stretch. We find that the mechanical response, as measured by FRET, depends on the direction of applied stretch relative to the cell’s axis of alignment. When the cell is aligned parallel to the direction of the stretch, stress fibers and cortical actin both accumulate tension. By contrast, when aligned perpendicular to the direction of stretch, stress fibers relax tension while the cortex accumulates tension, indicating mechanical anisotropy within the cytoskeleton. We further show that myosin inhibition regulates this anisotropy. Thus, the mechanical anisotropy of the cell and the coordination between distinct F-actin architectures vary and depend upon applied load.