title: Correlative nanoscale imaging of actin filaments and their complexes.
abstract: Actin remodeling is an area of interest in biology in which correlative microscopy can bring a new way to analyze protein complexes at the nanoscale. Advances in EM, X-ray diffraction, fluorescence, and single molecule techniques have provided a wealth of information about the modulation of the F-actin structure and its regulation by actin binding proteins (ABPs). Yet, there are technological limitations of these approaches to achieving quantitative molecular level information on the structural and biophysical changes resulting from ABPs interaction with F-actin. Fundamental questions about the actin structure and dynamics and how these determine the function of ABPs remain unanswered. Specifically, how local and long-range structural and conformational changes result in ABPs induced remodeling of F-actin needs to be addressed at the single filament level. Advanced, sensitive and accurate experimental tools for detailed understanding of ABP-actin interactions are much needed. This article discusses the current understanding of nanoscale structural and mechanical modulation of F-actin by ABPs at the single filament level using several correlative microscopic techniques, focusing mainly on results obtained by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analysis of ABP-actin complexes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA. sharmas@ucla.edu
authors.forename: Shivani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Huanqi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Elena E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Grintsevich
authors.forename: Emil
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Reisler
authors.forename: James K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Gimzewski
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000379:methods*; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011173:Portraits as Topic
chemical_list: D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D046912:Multiprotein Complexes