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The nature of the globular- to fibrous-actin transition

Author

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  • Toshiro Oda

    (X-ray Structural Analysis Research Team, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, RIKEN Harima Institute, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
    ERATO project ‘Actin-filament dynamics’, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan)

  • Mitsusada Iwasa

    (ERATO project ‘Actin-filament dynamics’, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan)

  • Tomoki Aihara

    (X-ray Structural Analysis Research Team, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, RIKEN Harima Institute, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan)

  • Yuichiro Maéda

    (ERATO project ‘Actin-filament dynamics’, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
    Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan)

  • Akihiro Narita

    (Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Furo, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan)

Abstract

Actin plays crucial parts in cell motility through a dynamic process driven by polymerization and depolymerization, that is, the globular (G) to fibrous (F) actin transition. Although our knowledge about the actin-based cellular functions and the molecules that regulate the G- to F-actin transition is growing, the structural aspects of the transition remain enigmatic. We created a model of F-actin using X-ray fibre diffraction intensities obtained from well oriented sols of rabbit skeletal muscle F-actin to 3.3 Å in the radial direction and 5.6 Å along the equator. Here we show that the G- to F-actin conformational transition is a simple relative rotation of the two major domains by about 20 degrees. As a result of the domain rotation, the actin molecule in the filament is flat. The flat form is essential for the formation of stable, helical F-actin. Our F-actin structure model provides the basis for understanding actin polymerization as well as its molecular interactions with actin-binding proteins.

Suggested Citation

  • Toshiro Oda & Mitsusada Iwasa & Tomoki Aihara & Yuichiro Maéda & Akihiro Narita, 2009. "The nature of the globular- to fibrous-actin transition," Nature, Nature, vol. 457(7228), pages 441-445, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:457:y:2009:i:7228:d:10.1038_nature07685
    DOI: 10.1038/nature07685
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    Cited by:

    1. Qing-Miao Nie & Akio Togashi & Takeshi N Sasaki & Mitsunori Takano & Masaki Sasai & Tomoki P Terada, 2014. "Coupling of Lever Arm Swing and Biased Brownian Motion in Actomyosin," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-13, April.
    2. Micaela Boiero Sanders & Wout Oosterheert & Oliver Hofnagel & Peter Bieling & Stefan Raunser, 2024. "Phalloidin and DNase I-bound F-actin pointed end structures reveal principles of filament stabilization and disassembly," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

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