TY - JOUR
T1 - Actin polymerization induces a shape change in actin-containing vesicles
AU - Cortese, J. D.
AU - Schwab, B.
AU - Frieden, C.
AU - Elson, E. L.
PY - 1989
Y1 - 1989
N2 - We have encapsulated actin filaments in the presence and absence of various actin-binding proteins into lipid vesicles. These vesicles are approximately the same size as animal cells and can be characterized by the same optical microscopic and mechanical techniques used to study cells. We demonstrate that the initially spherical vesicles can be forced into asymmetric, irregular shapes by polymerization of the actin that they contain. Deformation of the vesicles requires that the actin filaments be on average at least ~ 0.5 μm long as shown by the effects of gelsolin, an actin filament-nucleating protein. Filamin, a filament-crosslinking protein, caused the surfaces of the vesicles to have a smoother appearance. Heterogeneous distribution of actin filaments within the vesicles is caused by interfilament interactions and modulated by gelsolin and filamin. The vesicles provide a model system to study control of cell shape and cytoskeletal organization, membrane-cytoskeleton interactions, and cytomechanics.
AB - We have encapsulated actin filaments in the presence and absence of various actin-binding proteins into lipid vesicles. These vesicles are approximately the same size as animal cells and can be characterized by the same optical microscopic and mechanical techniques used to study cells. We demonstrate that the initially spherical vesicles can be forced into asymmetric, irregular shapes by polymerization of the actin that they contain. Deformation of the vesicles requires that the actin filaments be on average at least ~ 0.5 μm long as shown by the effects of gelsolin, an actin filament-nucleating protein. Filamin, a filament-crosslinking protein, caused the surfaces of the vesicles to have a smoother appearance. Heterogeneous distribution of actin filaments within the vesicles is caused by interfilament interactions and modulated by gelsolin and filamin. The vesicles provide a model system to study control of cell shape and cytoskeletal organization, membrane-cytoskeleton interactions, and cytomechanics.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0038257981&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.86.15.5773
DO - 10.1073/pnas.86.15.5773
M3 - Article
C2 - 2548187
AN - SCOPUS:0038257981
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 86
SP - 5773
EP - 5777
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 15
ER -