ADF/cofilin weakens lateral contacts in the actin filament
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 19, 2026

Aip1p Dynamics Are Altered by the R256H Mutation in Actin
Published on: July 30, 2014
1Verna & Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. amcgough@bcm.tmc.edu
Abstract:
Observed in vivo motility rates can only be accounted for if the rate of actin filament treadmilling in cells is considerably greater than has been quantified for purified actin in vitro. ADF/cofilin is uniquely suited to promote actin dynamics in cells, owing to its remarkable ability to change actin filament structure. In earlier work we showed that human cofilin chanRges filament twist by about 5 degrees per subunit and suggested that this contributes to increased filament turnover. Our initial structural modeling provided some insights into how the longitudinal actin-actin contacts might be disrupted following cofilin-induced twisting. Here we present direct evidence that cofilin also disrupts lateral actin-actin contacts in the filament and suggest a model showing how this could contribute to cofilin's novel effects on actin filament dynamics and assembly.
Related Concept Videos
Actin Filament Depolymerization
In F-actin, the ADF/cofilin proteins...
Mechanism of Filopodia Formation
Their main function is to guide migrating cells during normal tissue morphogenesis or cancer metastasis by recognizing and making initial contacts with the extracellular matrix. However, they can also act as stationary cell anchors or help to establish communication...
Generation of Straight or Branched Actin Filaments
Arp2/3 Complex
Arp2/3 complex is a seven-subunit complex consisting of two proteins similar to actin- Arp2 and Arp3, and five other subunits that help keep Arp2 and Arp3 inactive. When required, the complex is...
Formation of Higher-order Actin Filaments
The high-order actin networks...
Adaptability of Cytoskeletal Filaments
Actin Polymerization and Cell Motility
Actin cytoskeleton dynamics can produce pushing, pulling, and resistance forces that help the cell to migrate.

