Chapter 17 Flashcards
Three types of cytoskeleton filaments, widest to thinnest
Microtubules, Intermediate filaments, and Actin
Intermediate filaments function and properties
withstands mechanical stress of stretching
high tensile strength (deform but don’t break)
distribute strength among tissue cells through desmosomes
form nuclear lamina/extend through cytoplasm
Intermediate filament structure
monomers contain central rod domain and unstructured regions at both ends
rod domains (a-helical) join to form coiled coil dimer
staggered antiparallel tetramer of two dimers
lateral association of 8 tetramers add together to form filament
NO STRUCTURAL POLARITY
unstructured regions vary and are exposed on the outside of filament
cytoplasmic intermediate filaments
keratin (epithelial cells) - most diverse
vimentin/vimentin-related (connective tissue, muscle, glial cells)
neurofilaments (nerve cells)
nuclear intermediate filament
nuclear lamins form nuclear lamina
NOT rope-like, mesh-like
mutations in keratin cause what
skin more prone to blistering, even with gentle impact- epidermolysis simplex
mutations in neurofilaments cause . . .
ALS; Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
nuclear lamina
meshwork of IF beneath nuclear envelope
attachment sites for chromatin
comprised of lamin proteins
help position chromosomes
defects in nuclear lamina cause . . .
progeria; rare class of premature aging disorders due to nuclear instability, leading to defects in cell division and chromosomal positioning
how is the nuclear lamina regulated by phosphorylation for disassembly/reassembly for cell division
phosphorylation by kinases weakens interactions between tetramers
dephosphorylation by phosphatases strengthens and rebuilds
function of nuclear lamina in connecting nucleus to cytosol and examples
Accessory proteins in membrane crosslink IFs to other cytoskeletal components outside the nucleus
Plectins: cytosolic bundling of IFs, connects nuclear lamina to cytosolic components
SUN and KASH: transmembrane proteins, link nucleus to cytoplasm, nuclear positioning
microtubules monomers
tubulin dimers made of alpha and beta tubulin, held together by noncovalent bonds
function of centrosomes
microtubule organizing center (MTOC) from which microtubules grow and extend out to the rest of the cell
main functions of microtubules
guide transport of vesicles, organelles, and other cell components
form mitotic spindle during cell division
found in flagella and cilia
which tubulin subunit is plus end/minus end
alpha = minus end
beta = plus end
tubulin monomer assembly into filaments
linear protofilament of dimers
13 protofilaments form microtubule all oriented in same direction (structural polarity)
tubulins easily add to which end of the MT filament
plus end
centrosomes structure
two centrioles surrounded by protein matrix
gamma tubulin location and function
rings found in centrosomes that serve as nucleation sites foe MT filaments
dimers add to gamma ring
which end of the MT filament is embedded in the centrosome and which ends extends into cytoplasm
minus ends embedded in centrosome
growth occurs at plus ends in cytoplasm
dynamic instability
each MT filament is constantly growing and shrinking independent of neighboring filaments due to GTP hydrolysis
requirements for a formed microtubule to persist instead of rapid disassembly
both ends protected from depolymerization
MINUS ends protected by organizing centers
PLUS ends stabilized by capping proteins
SELECTIVE STABILIZATION
when are MTs more stable/less stabel
more stable in polarized and differentiated cells (nerve cells)
less stable in dividing cells
which way to MT filaments all point to create structural polarity in neurons
plus end toward axon terminal