Berlin 2024 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 8: Poster Session Ia

BP 8.1: Poster

Monday, March 18, 2024, 18:00–20:30, Poster C

Microtubule dynamics in the presence of an actin network — •Saheli Dey, Tiago Mimoso, and Sarah Köster — Georg-August-Universität Göttingen

The eukaryotic cytoskeleton is a composite network of biopolymers of variable flexibilities. It drives many important biological processes such as cell division and motility. In response to external and internal stimuli, the cytoskeleton rapidly rearranges itself. This property is achieved with the aid of microtubules and actin filaments, which are the dynamic components of the cytoskeleton. Since these biopolymers co-exist in a cell, our focus lies on understanding microtubule dynamics in a composite network system. Using a bottom-up approach, we investigate whether actin filaments influence microtubule dynamics. Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy serves as an essential tool to capture the dynamics of the microtubules in our experiments. Based on our analysis from kymographs, we quantify the polymerization and depolymerization rates of microtubules. Furthermore, rescue and catastrophe frequencies indicate the influence of actin filaments on the stability of microtubules. Till now studies have shown interaction between these two cytoskeletal filaments in the presence of motor proteins or cross-linkers. Complementary to those results, our study provides insight into direct filament-filament interactions and will answer the question of whether actin filament networks stabilize dynamic microtubules against depolymerization.

Keywords: cytoskeleton; microtubules; actin; dynamics; in vitro