The Cytoskeleton con’t

Actin
 The Actin Cytoskeleton
Actin subunit = G–actin [Globular-actin]
Filamentous-actin (F-actin)
 Nucleation
Forming a new actin filament:

Subunits must assemble into an initial aggregate that is

stabilized by multiple subunit-subunit contacts

They can then elongate rapidly by adding more subunits

Kon –rate of addition of subunits

Koff – rate of removal of subunits

 Course of Polymerization

Steady State phase

Nucleation
Critical Concentration [Cc]
Actin can hydrolyze ATP
 Hydrolysis
A G

A A

ATP ADP
 Types of Filament Structure

T form – ATP bound

D form –ADP bound

 ATP Hydrolysis within Actin Filaments

Each actin molecule carries ATP that is hydrolyzed to ADP

soon after its assembly into the polymer
Hydrolysis of the bound nucleotide reduces the binding
affinity of the subunit for neighboring subunits
Rate of addition of subunits can be faster than rate at which
they are hydrolyzed

ATP CAP
 Different Rates at each End
Kon –rate of association

Koff – rate of dissociation

These rates can differ on the two ends

- End + End
Treadmilling: subunit addition happening at the plus
end and subunit depolymerization is happening at the
minus end
Treadmilling
 Treadmilling

Also known as: Steady–State Treadmilling

Rate of addition of subunits can be faster than rate at which

they are hydrolyzed at the + end

(versus hydrolysis at the (-) end)

Overall result: LENGTH of the actin filament can remain the

same
Myosin & Actin
The actin cytoskeleton can slide actin filaments
relative to one another by using
Myosin Motor Proteins

Actin-Myosin Assemblies

Actin-based motor proteins are members of the

myosin superfamily
Myosin
Myosin

Thick Filament
Myosin
Myosin: ATP hydrolysis  conformational change
Break