title: Actin Mechanics and Fragmentation.
abstract: Cell physiological processes require the regulation and coordination of both mechanical and dynamical properties of the actin cytoskeleton. Here we review recent advances in understanding the mechanical properties and stability of actin filaments and how these properties are manifested at larger (network) length scales. We discuss how forces can influence local biochemical interactions, resulting in the formation of mechanically sensitive dynamic steady states. Understanding the regulation of such force-activated chemistries and dynamic steady states reflects an important challenge for future work that will provide valuable insights as to how the actin cytoskeleton engenders mechanoresponsiveness of living cells.
authors.affiliation: From the Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511 and enrique.delacruz@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Enrique M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: De La Cruz
authors.affiliation: the Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, James Franck Institute, and Department of Physics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637 gardel@uchicago.edu.
authors.forename: Margaret L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gardel
mesh_terms: D008841:Actin Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000199:Actins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary
chemical_list: D000199:Actins
keywords: actin; biophysics; cell motility; cofilin; cytoskeleton; persistence length; rheology; severing; strain; stress