Dr Millard's lectures L2-L5 Flashcards
What are lamellipodia?
flat 2d actin protrusions
What are pseudopodia?
thick 3D protrusions on neutrophils
What are filopodia?
sensors to explore environment. Often found within lamellipodia and pseudopodia.
Phalloidin
Helps visualise actin. Binds F actin but not G actin so if fluorescently labelled, shows up filaments.
Cytochalasin D
Blocks actin polymerisation. Stops lamellipodia forming so shows they need actin for protrusions.
Photobleaching (FRAP)
Laser on GFP stops it fluorescing. At PM fluorescence goes and comes back showing actin is added tot he front right under PM.
Stress fibres
Actin and myosin II contractile cables.
alpha-actinin
Cross’links actin filaments to stabilise cable
Blebbistatin
Myosin inhibitor. Treat with this, cells fail to move, shows need myosin.
Amoeboid migration
Blebbing.
Actomyosin creates pressure inside PM. Actomyosin breaks at 1 point. Pressure squeezes cytoplasm out, with PM. Actomysoin reforms
Stages of actin pol in vitro
- Nucleation- spontaneous but slow.
- Filament growth- protportional to monomer conc.
- Steady state- Equilibrium. approx 0.1uM conc of monomers
Stages of actin pol in vivo in lamellipodia
- Nucleation- not spontaneous but very rapid when triggered.
- Filament Growth- Rapid but only one end. makes branched network.
- Steady state- 100uM. Not at equilibrium. High conc.
Cell adhesions
Attach back of cell down. Need to detach for back of cell to move
Profilin
Binds to actin monomers. Changes monomers’ behaviour:Profilin bound monomers:
- They CANNOT incorporate into minus end, only +
- They exchange ADP for ATP
- They CANNOT spontaneously nucleate new filaments
Arp2/3 complex
Protein complex with 7 subunits including Arp 2 and Arp3. When activated, arp 2 and 3 come together. Arp2/3 binds to side of existing filament. associates with minus end of new filament. New profilin-bound monomers incorporated to produce new filaments at 70 degrees. Branched network good for lamellipodia.
Capping protein
Binds to plus end of filament. High concentration in lamellipodia. Caos within 1 second of filament growth.
Ena/VASP
Protein family “anti-cappers”. Prevent capping fo plus ends. Promote filament elongation. High conc= long and bendy filaments. Low conc= shorter, stronger push force.
ADF/cofilin
Binds to old sections and severs adp-actin. (not ATP actin)
Adf= actin depolymerising factor
Fluorescent speckle microscopy
can see actin filaments treadmilling
Filopodia tip complex
Filopodia need to be long unbranched actin filaments tightly bundled. Tip complex associates with actin filaments in filopodia. Stops capping. contains Ena.
Actin-bundling protein
Cross links the filaments in convergent elongation of filopodia. Have at least 2 actin binding sites.
alpha- actinin
an actin-bundling protein. cross links contractile bundle in stress fibre. antiparallel