title: Mica surface promotes the assembly of cytoskeletal proteins.
abstract: We report the surface-mediated polymerization of FtsZ protein, the prokaryote homologue of tubulin, by AFM. FtsZ protein can form filaments on mica whereas the bulk FtsZ concentration is orders of magnitude lower than the critical concentration. Surface polymerization is favored by a local increase in protein concentration and requires a high mobility of proteins on the surface. To generalize to other cytoskeleton protein, we also show that mica can initiate the formation of tubulin protofilaments. This study is of particular interest for studying cytoskeletal protein dynamics by AFM but also for the surface autoassembly of nanostructures.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Structure-Activité des Biomolécules Normales et Pathologiques, INSERM/UEVE U829, Evry 91025 France. loic.hamon@univ-evry.fr
authors.forename: Loic
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hamon
authors.forename: Dulal
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Panda
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Savarin
authors.forename: Vandana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bernhard
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mucher
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mechulam
authors.forename: Patrick A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Curmi
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pastré
mesh_terms: D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D005990:Glycerol / Q000737:chemistry; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D012756:Sheep; D013499:Surface Properties; D014404:Tubulin / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C071525:FtsZ protein, Bacteria; D011108:Polymers; D014404:Tubulin; D005990:Glycerol; C011934:mica