Emergent properties of composite semiflexible biopolymer networks

Bioarchitecture
Mikkel H JensenD A Weitz

Abstract

The semiflexible polymers filamentous actin (F-actin) and intermediate filaments (IF) both form complex networks within the cell, and together are key determinants of cellular stiffness. While the mechanics of F-actin networks together with stiff microtubules have been characterized, the interplay between F-actin and IF networks is largely unknown, necessitating the study of composite networks using mixtures of semiflexible biopolymers. We employ bulk rheology in a simplified in vitro system to uncover the fundamental mechanical interactions between networks of the 2 semiflexible polymers, F-actin and vimentin IF. Surprisingly, co-polymerization of actin and vimentin can produce composite networks either stronger or weaker than pure F-actin networks. We show that this effect occurs through steric constraints imposed by IF on F-actin during network formation and filament crosslinking, highlighting novel emergent behavior in composite semiflexible networks.

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Citations

Mar 15, 2016·Current Opinion in Biotechnology·Eliza MorrisCheemeng Tan
Jul 2, 2015·Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta·Mikkel H JensenDavid A Weitz
Sep 4, 2018·Soft Matter·Tom GoldeJörg Schnauß
Feb 23, 2020·Biorheology·Daniele BorinOrfeo Sbaizero
Oct 13, 2019·Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS·Sangwoo Kwon, Kyung Sook Kim
May 10, 2015·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Robert S Fischer, Velia M Fowler
Nov 3, 2017·Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology·Adrian F PegoraroDavid A Weitz
Nov 3, 2016·Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology·Harald Herrmann, Ueli Aebi
May 4, 2017·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Nancy CostigliolaGaudenz Danuser
Jan 5, 2019·Physical Review Letters·Robert FitzpatrickRae M Robertson-Anderson
Sep 30, 2020·Physical Biology·Alison E PattesonPaul A Janmey
Aug 28, 2021·Cells·Emma J van Bodegraven, Sandrine Etienne-Manneville

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
rheology

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