Tension-induced conformational changes of actin filaments and their influence on actin binding and intracellular localization of myosin.

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24370069
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biophysics
• Research Institution: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: UYEDA Taro 独立行政法人産業技術総合研究所, バイオメディカル研究部門, 総括研究主幹 (90356551)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): YUMURA Shigehiko 山口大学, 医学研究科, 教授 (70183986) ; HAGA Hisashi 北海道大学, 先端生命科学研究科, 教授 (00292045) ; NOGUCHI Taro 都城工業高等専門学校, 物質工学科, 講師 (90615866)
• Research Collaborator: ADACHI Taiji 京都大学, 再生医科学研究所, 教授 (40243323)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: アクチン / ミオシン / メカノセンシティビティ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

To elucidate the mechanism by which actin filaments perform different functions in vivo, we tested the hypothesis that tension applied to actin filaments increases affinity for myosin II. We were able to estimate the tension applied to actin filaments in amoeba cells. Experimental system to visualize myosin binding to tensed actin filaments in vitro was established, opening an avenue to directly test the hypothesis in vitro in the future. Some progress was also made in attempts to visualize tensed actin filaments in amoeba cells using a FRET-based system, demonstrating that the actin filaments in cells are polymorphic.

Free Research Field

生物物理学