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Tuning the Contractility and Deformation Modes of Active Actin-Based Assemblies In Vitro: From Two-Dimensional Active Networks to Liquid Crystal Drops
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Load adaptation by endocytic actin networks.

Charlotte Kaplan1, Sam J Kenny2, Xuyan Chen2

  • 1Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3220.

Molecular Biology of the Cell
|April 7, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Increased membrane tension triggers more actin assembly at endocytic sites, ensuring cell membrane stability. This actin growth helps maintain clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) robustness despite mechanical stress.

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Area of Science:

  • Cell Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) is vital for cellular processes.
  • Actin assembly generates force to maintain CME robustness under membrane tension.
  • The relationship between increased load and actin assembly at CME sites remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if actin assembly increases at CME sites under elevated membrane tension.
  • To explore the role of actin network ultrastructure in response to mechanical load.
  • To determine the contribution of actin assembly to CME robustness.

Main Methods:

  • Examined actin network ultrastructure at CME sites under varying membrane tension.
  • Analyzed spatial organization of actin and N-WASP.
  • Manipulated membrane tension and Arp2/3 complex activity.

Main Results:

  • Actin polymerization initiates at the base of clathrin-coated pits and grows away from the plasma membrane.
  • Elevated membrane tension leads to increased actin network height and greater clathrin coat coverage.
  • Inhibition of Arp2/3 complex under high tension resulted in shallow clathrin-coated pits.

Conclusions:

  • Actin assembly at CME sites increases in response to elevated membrane load.
  • This adaptive mechanism is crucial for maintaining CME robustness across different membrane tensions.
  • Increased actin assembly ensures proper coat curvature generation during endocytosis.