Tau Islands, Actin Locks, and Automated Kymograph Analysis Must Reads Cohesive Tau Islands Shield and Protect the Microtubule Lattice Tau, a microtubule-associated protein in the brain, is primarily recognized for its role in neurodegenerative diseases. In fact, the term “tauopathy” was specifically coined to reference neuronal disorders pathologically defined by tau protein aggregates. But […]
Light-Patterned Microtubule Asters, Nuclear Actin, And EB3-Islands Must Read Controlling Organization And Forces In Active Matter Through Optically Defined Boundaries Ross et al. | Nature Cytoskeletal networks are dynamic, reconfigurable systems exquisitely tuned by the cell to perform a variety of functions. Reconstituting the diverse organization patterns of actin and microtubule networks in vitro […]
Minus-End Growth, Reconstituted Spindle Midzones, and Contorted Microtubules Must Read Patronin-Mediated Minus End Growth Is Required For Dendritic Microtubule Polarity Feng et al. | Journal of Cell Biology Microtubule minus-ends are often stably capped in cells, yielding the spotlight to their more dynamic plus-end counterparts. However, dendritic neurons present a compelling case for significant […]
Spindle-F-Actin, Molecular Gearshifts, and Cytoplasmic Softening Must Read Spindle-F-Actin Interactions in Mitotic Spindles in an Intact Vertebrate Epithelium Kita et al. | Molecular Biology of the Cell A compelling subject for striking microscopy images, microtubules have long been considered the major mechanical component of the mitotic spindle. But a long-standing question has been whether […]
Spindle Heterogeneity, Microtubule Search and Capture, and Bulk Actin Waves Must Read Mechanically Distinct Microtubule Arrays Determine the Length and Force Response of the Meiotic Spindle Takagi et al. | Developmental Cell The spindle is a remarkable macromolecular machine comprised of dynamic microtubules and associated factors. Given its critical job in driving chromosome segregation, […]
Tubulin Beyond Microtubules, Inhibitable Kinesin-2, and Designer Organelles Must Reads Tubulin mRNA Stability Is Sensitive To Change In Microtubule Dynamics Caused By Multiple Physiological And Toxic Cues Gasic, Boswell, and Mitchison | PLoS Biol. As the molecular building blocks of microtubules, alpha- and beta-tubulin heterodimers are subject to cellular surveillance. Studies in the 1980s […]
Peeling Actomyosin Bundles, Tubulin Accretion, and Mapping the Primary Cilium Must Reads Directionality Of Dynein Is Controlled By The Angle And Length Of Its Stalk Can et al. | Nature Dynein motors possess an uncanny ability to walk toward the microtubule minus end. This minus end directionality is critical for retrograde intracellular transport (among other cellular […]