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Published on: September 18, 2016
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Physical mechanisms of ESCRT-III-driven cell division
Lena Harker-Kirschneck1,2,3, Anne E Hafner1,2,3, Tina Yao1,2
1Department of Physics & Astronomy, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
Summary
Scientists modeled cell division in archaea, revealing a new mechanism where coiling filaments drive constriction. This physical process, involving changes in filament curvature, deforms the membrane for cell separation and offers insights into eukaryotic cell division.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Biophysics
- Microbiology
Background:
- Cell division is a fundamental process for life propagation.
- Cytoskeletal polymers generate mechanical forces for cell division.
- Archaeal cell division shares machinery and evolutionary origins with eukaryotes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a physical model for ESCRT-III-mediated archaeal cell division.
- To identify a novel mechanism of cell division in archaea.
- To explore the impact of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-driven processes on division symmetry and robustness.
Main Methods:
- Developed a physical model for ESCRT-III-mediated cell division.
- Compared simulation dynamics with live cell imaging data.
- Investigated the role of active curvature changes in cytoskeletal filaments.
Main Results:
- Proposed a new mechanism where active filament curvature changes drive ring constriction and membrane deformation.
- Abscission is completed by filament disassembly.
- Simulations showed good agreement with experimental data when curvature changes occurred randomly.
Conclusions:
- Identified a novel ESCRT-III-dependent cell division mechanism in archaea.
- This mechanism involves filament supercoiling and membrane deformation.
- The findings suggest a generalizable mechanism of cytokinesis based on filament-membrane interactions applicable beyond archaea.
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