Cytoskeleton

Cell polarity, motility and migration

Actin mediated polarity during
yeast cell budding
Three types of cytoskeleton
 How cells regulate their
cytoskeleton
• Regulate spatial distribution of polymers.
• Dynamic behaviors.
• Determine sites of assembly of new polymers.
• Link polymers to one another or to other
organelles, and plasma membrane.
Actin filament
Assembly, dis-assembly, re-assembly change the
cell shape and make cell polarized
Polymerization mechanism
 ARP (actin related protein)
proteins are main nucleation sites
for actin filaments
 Profilin and thymosin balance the elongation.
Coffilin destabilises filaments.

Cofilin tightens the twisting, promotes

treadmilling.
 Accessory proteins
• Regulate spatial distribution of polymers.
• Dynamic behaviors.
• Determine sites of assembly of new polymers.
• Link polymers to one another or to other
organelles, and plasma membrane.
Crosslinking of actin with plasma
membrane.
 Sites of actin filament assembly:
Plasma membrane, specifically the
leading edges
Nucleation is regulated by intra and
Extracellular signaling.
Actin interacting proteins in Yeast
• Receptors: LPA (lisophosphatic acid)- GPCR, integrin
• PDGF- RTK,
• Others: ??
Yeast mating factor response
Integrins and cell adhesion
Actin interacting proteins in Yeast
Three major types of cytoskeleton
MT dynamic instability
Microtubule nucleation
 Microtubule assembly, dynamics, localization
and associated cellular bahaviors are regulated
by a diverse set of factors