Structure of actin cross-linked with alpha-actinin: a network of bundles.
Three-dimensional laser scanning confocal microscopy has revealed that filamentous actin, when complexed with the cross-linking protein alpha-actinin, will spontaneously assemble on a micron scale into a structure comprised of a relatively rigid, frequently branching, 3D network of bundles with characteristic mesh size of the order of the persistence length of F-actin. In contrast, additional nanoscale ordering is observed, as synchrotron x-ray diffraction has revealed a disordered, distorted square lattice of actin fibers within the individual bundles.
Pelletier
O
O
Materials Department, Biomolecular Science and Engineering Program, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA.
Pokidysheva
E
E
Hirst
L S
LS
Bouxsein
N
N
Li
Y
Y
Safinya
C R
CR
D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D000185:Actinin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008958:Models, Molecular; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D000199:Actins; D000185:Actinin