Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 16: Poster Session I

BP 16.49: Poster

Tuesday, March 27, 2007, 17:00–19:30, Poster D

Dynamic light scattering of F-actin solutions — •Jens Glaser and Klaus Kroy — Inst. f. Theoretische Physik, Universität Leipzig, PF 100920, 04009 Leipzig

A network of the semiflexible polymer actin forms an integral part of the eucaryotic cell's cytoskeleton. Structural properties of F-actin solutions can be determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS). While the method is usually successfully applied to determine the size of flexible polymers, a consistent determination of the persistence length of actin has not yet been achieved.

We report measurements of the persistence length by a comprehensive analysis of DLS data, which are in agreement with values obtained by different techniques for unstabilized actin filaments. Collective effects of F-actin networks are also analyzed and they give estimates e.g. of the tube diameter of the filaments which confirm current predictions of the tube model of semiflexible polymers.