Regensburg 2007 – scientific programme
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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik
BP 25: Oscillatory Systems
BP 25.8: Talk
Thursday, March 29, 2007, 16:30–16:45, H44
Velocity oscillations in polymerizing actin networks — •Azam Gholami1, Martin Falcke1, and Erwin Frey2 — 1Hahn-Meitner-Institut, Abteilung Theorie, Glienicker Str. 100, D-14109 Berlin, Germany — 2Arnold-Sommerfeld-Center for Theoretical Physics and Center for NanoScience, Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Theresienstrasse 37, D-80333 München, Germany
Force generation by semiflexible polymers is versatilely used for cell motility. The leading edge of lamellipodia of crawling cell is pushed forward by a polymerizing actin network and bacteria move inside cells by riding on a comet tail of growing actin filaments. In vivo systems are complemented by in vitro assays using plastic beads and lipid vesicles that, when coated with appropriate proteins, move much the same way as the pathogens. We present a simple theoretical description for actin-based motility. We show that cooperative attachment and detachment of actin filaments to the obstacle, polymerization of the filaments free ends and cross-linking of the actin network lead to spontaneous oscillations of the obstacle velocity.