Cytoskeletal Filament Systems
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Questions and Answers

What role do actin filaments and microtubules play in cellular transport?

They serve as tracks for the transport of organelles and vesicles within the cell.

How do motor proteins achieve movement along microtubules?

Motor proteins, like kinesin and dynein, walk along microtubules by undergoing conformational changes driven by ATP binding and hydrolysis.

Describe the structural difference between dynein and kinesin motor proteins.

Dyneins typically walk towards the minus end of microtubules, while kinesins mostly walk towards the plus end.

What drives the walking mechanism of myosin motor proteins along actin filaments?

<p>The walking mechanism is driven by ATP binding, hydrolysis, and the subsequent dissociation of myosin heads from actin.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain why intermediate filaments do not have known motor proteins associated with them.

<p>Intermediate filaments are symmetric, which prevents directed movement and transport by motor proteins.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of motor proteins walking in a specific direction?

<p>The directional movement of motor proteins ensures that cellular components are delivered to the correct locations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do motor proteins like kinesin and dynein differ in their cargo transport direction?

<p>Kinesins generally transport cargo towards the plus ends of microtubules, while dyneins transport cargo towards the minus ends.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What conformational changes occur in motor proteins to facilitate movement?

<p>The binding and hydrolysis of ATP lead to conformational changes in the head domains of the motors, allowing them to step along the filaments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What roles do actin filaments and microtubules play in cellular transport mechanisms?

<p>Actin filaments and microtubules serve as tracks for motor proteins to transport vesicles within the cell.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the function of bipolar myosin II filaments in muscle contraction.

<p>Bipolar myosin II filaments slide actin filaments, which shortens the sarcomere, resulting in muscle contraction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the gliding filament assay demonstrate motor protein mechanics?

<p>The assay shows how motors attached to a slide can push filaments around when activated by ATP.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain how motors can slide filaments rather than transport them.

<p>In this sliding mechanism, the motor remains stationary while walking on the filament, causing the filament to move instead.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of filament polarity in cellular transport?

<p>Filament polarity allows motor proteins to travel in specific directions, ensuring orderly transport of materials.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Discuss the role of myosin II as a motor protein.

<p>Myosin II functions by walking along actin filaments using its heads while its coiled coil tail allows assembly into bipolar structures.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens when a motor walks towards the positive end of a filament?

<p>The motor's movement towards the positive end pushes the minus end of the filament forward, leading to sliding.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the contraction of muscle fibers relate to actin and myosin interaction?

<p>Muscle contraction is driven by myosin heads walking to the plus ends of actin filaments, enabling shortening of the muscle fiber.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way do actin filaments provide structural support in cells?

<p>Actin filaments maintain cell shape and enable cellular movement by forming a dynamic cytoskeletal network.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of actin filaments allows them to be highly dynamic?

<p>Actin filaments can add and remove subunits from their ends.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How are microtubules structured at a molecular level?

<p>Microtubules are made up of heterodimers formed from alpha-tubulin and beta-tubulin.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of interactions hold the protofilaments together in microtubules?

<p>Lateral interactions between the protofilaments form the tubular structure.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What feature distinguishes actin filaments from microtubules in terms of structure and appearance?

<p>Actin filaments are two-stranded helices, while microtubules are hollow cylinders.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the importance of polarity in cytoskeletal filaments.

<p>Polarity allows for directional growth and function, crucial for processes like cellular transport.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do nuclear lamins play in the cell?

<p>Nuclear lamins provide structural support and strength to the nuclear membrane.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why are motor proteins essential for the function of microtubules?

<p>Motor proteins transport cellular cargo along microtubules, utilizing their polarity for directional movement.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe how the structure of intermediate filaments differs from that of actin and microtubules.

<p>Intermediate filaments are composed of a diverse group of proteins, unlike the uniform structure of actin and tubulin.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the dynamic properties of actin and microtubules in cellular processes?

<p>Their dynamic properties enable rapid remodeling, which is essential for processes like cell migration and division.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do the interactions between subunits in actin filaments compare to that of microtubules?

<p>Actin filament subunits interact differently as they are assembled into helical structures, while microtubule subunits form through dimerization.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the 'plus' and 'minus' ends in actin filaments and microtubules?

<p>The 'plus' end signifies faster growth while the 'minus' end indicates slower growth, allowing for directional assembly and disassembly during cellular processes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the experiment with 'seed' actin filaments demonstrate filament polarity?

<p>The experiment shows that the addition of actin occurs more rapidly at the 'plus' end, indicating that this end is structurally and functionally distinct from the 'minus' end.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way does microtubule polarity compare to that of actin filaments?

<p>Like actin filaments, microtubules possess a 'plus' end that grows faster and a 'minus' end that grows slower, which is essential for their dynamic roles in the cell.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is filament polarity advantageous for motor proteins during cellular transport?

<p>Filament polarity allows motor proteins to 'walk' unidirectionally along filaments, ensuring efficient transport of cellular materials towards specific destinations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain how the dynamic instability of microtubules is related to their polarity.

<p>The dynamic instability is influenced by the rapid growth at the 'plus' end and the slow disassembly at the 'minus' end, enabling cells to quickly adapt to changes in their environment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the primary structural components of intermediate filaments?

<p>Intermediate filaments are primarily composed of fibrous proteins that form dimers, which then stack into antiparallel tetramers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do actin filaments contribute to cellular movement?

<p>Actin filaments enable cellular movement by polymerizing and depolymerizing, facilitating the reorganization of the cytoskeleton.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the polarity of microtubules and its significance.

<p>Microtubules have distinct plus and minus ends, which are important for the directional transport of organelles and vesicles within cells.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do motor proteins play in cytoskeletal dynamics?

<p>Motor proteins interact with filaments to generate movement and transport cellular components by converting chemical energy into mechanical work.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What influence does the organization of actin filaments have on the structure of the cell?

<p>The organization of actin filaments provides structural support and shape to the cell, enabling processes like cell division and motility.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do intermediate filaments differ in type across various cell types?

<p>The types of intermediate filaments vary by cell type, reflecting the specific mechanical and structural needs of different tissues.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which interactions are responsible for the high tensile strength of intermediate filaments?

<p>The high tensile strength of intermediate filaments is due to strong lateral interactions between packed tetramers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way does keratin function in epithelial cells?

<p>Keratin filaments in epithelial cells distribute stress and provide structural support by anchoring to the plasma membrane.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What pathological condition is related to mutations in keratin and what is its effect?

<p>Epidermis bullosa simplex is associated with keratin mutations, leading to fragile skin that easily ruptures.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the role of desmosomes in the context of intermediate filaments.

<p>Desmosomes link intermediate filaments of adjacent cells, providing mechanical strength and structural support.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the primary functions of nuclear lamins in the cell?

<p>Nuclear lamins provide structural support and strengthen the nuclear membrane, maintaining its shape.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the characteristics of the 'plus' and 'minus' ends of actin filaments?

<p>'Plus' end grows faster and is dynamic, while 'minus' end grows more slowly and is more stable.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do actin filament subunits assemble into their polymer structure?

<p>Actin monomers assemble into a two-stranded helix, forming actin filaments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the addition of actin to the pre-formed seed affect filament growth?

<p>Actin polymerizes more rapidly at the 'plus' end of the seed, leading to longer filament growth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the structural unit of microtubules and its formation.

<p>Microtubules are formed by dimers of α-tubulin and β-tubulin, which assemble into linear protofilaments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What unique property do all three types of cytoskeletal filaments exhibit?

<p>All three types of cytoskeletal filaments possess varying degrees of polarity, influencing their dynamics and function.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What similarity do microtubules share with actin filaments regarding their growth?

<p>Microtubules also have a 'plus' end that grows faster and a 'minus' end that grows slower, indicating polarity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way does the structure of intermediate filaments differ from microtubules and actin filaments?

<p>Intermediate filaments are fibrous and more stable compared to the dynamic and tubular structures of microtubules and actin filaments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is filament polarity critical for cellular activity?

<p>Filament polarity enables directional transport and organization of cellular components, enhancing efficiency.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the consequence of filament polarity on motor protein movement?

<p>Motor proteins move unidirectionally along polarized filaments, allowing efficient cargo transport towards specific cellular regions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the significance of intermediate filaments in relation to cell integrity.

<p>Intermediate filaments provide tensile strength to cells, preventing mechanical deformation and contributing to overall cell stability.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of dynamic instability in microtubules?

<p>Dynamic instability allows microtubules to rapidly grow and shrink, adapting to cellular needs during processes like mitosis.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of the seed experiment, what is the significance of the actin label?

<p>The label helps visualize and stabilize the newly added actin subunits, aiding in the study of filament dynamics.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the pathological condition known as Progeria and its connection to nuclear lamins.

<p>Progeria is a premature aging disease caused by defects in a specific nuclear lamin protein, leading to abnormal nuclear shape.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do the dynamics of actin and microtubules differ in terms of growth rates at their ends?

<p>Both exhibit faster growth at the 'plus' end, but the specific mechanisms and regulation of dynamics may vary.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What implications does the existence of a slower growing 'minus' end have on filament stability?

<p>The slower growing 'minus' end provides stability to the filament, allowing it to maintain its structure within the cell.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does the experimental seed play in understanding filament dynamics?

<p>The seed serves as a foundation for polymerization, allowing researchers to observe how new subunits are added and how polarity affects growth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe how filament polarity contributes to the function of the cytoskeleton.

<p>Filament polarity directs the organization and movement of cellular components, influencing processes such as division and transport.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do bipolar myosin II filaments contribute to the sliding filament mechanism in muscle contraction?

<p>Bipolar myosin II filaments slide actin filaments by having heads that walk towards the plus ends, facilitating contraction by shortening the sarcomere.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What experimental technique can demonstrate how motors slide filaments, and what does it involve?

<p>The gliding filament assay demonstrates this by activating motors on a slide, allowing them to walk on filaments and push them around.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of filament sliding, what happens when a motor walks towards the plus end of a filament?

<p>When a motor walks towards the plus end, it pushes the minus end of the filament forward, causing it to slide.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the structural characteristics of myosin II and their significance for its function.

<p>Myosin II is a dimer with heads that walk on actin and a coiled coil tail, allowing multiple motors to assemble into bipolar filaments for effective contractile force.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the significance of filament polarity for motor protein function.

<p>Filament polarity, with distinct plus and minus ends, allows motor proteins to travel in a specific direction, ensuring efficient cargo transport within the cell.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What allows motor proteins to transport cargo to specific cellular locations?

<p>Motor proteins walk along microtubules and actin filaments, which serve as tracks, enabling directed transport.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do the head and tail domains of motor proteins function together?

<p>The head domain binds to the filament, while the tail domain links to the cargo being transported.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main energy source that drives the movement of motor proteins?

<p>ATP binding and hydrolysis provide the energy necessary for the walking mechanism of motor proteins.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the directional movement of dynein and kinesin motor proteins.

<p>Dynein walks towards the minus ends of microtubules, while kinesins typically walk towards the plus ends.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes myosin motor proteins in terms of their movement pattern?

<p>Most myosins walk towards the plus ends of actin filaments, performing various cellular functions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why can't motor proteins walk on intermediate filaments?

<p>Intermediate filaments are symmetric and lack polarity, preventing directional transport by motor proteins.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes the dynamic properties of the plus and minus ends of actin filaments?

<p>The plus end demonstrates faster growth and is associated with addition of ATP-actin, while the minus end is where depolymerization occurs.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What results from the conformational changes in myosin during movement?

<p>Conformational changes lead to the binding, hydrolysis, and dissociation of ATP, allowing myosin to walk along actin.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the asymmetry of tubulin subunits contribute to the polarity of microtubules?

<p>The asymmetrical structure of the $𝛼$-tubulin and $β$-tubulin results in distinct plus and minus ends, influencing polymerization dynamics.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do motor proteins impact the transport of organelles within a cell?

<p>Motor proteins travel along cytoskeletal tracks to transport organelles and vesicles to specific locations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Can you explain the role of ATP hydrolysis in the function of motor proteins?

<p>ATP hydrolysis triggers conformational changes in motor proteins, enabling them to 'walk' along cytoskeletal filaments.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why do intermediate filaments lack polarity, and how does this affect their function?

<p>Intermediate filaments are made of symmetric subunits, which leads to non-polarity, thereby providing structural support rather than dynamic instability.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What structural feature is common among many classes of motor proteins?

<p>Many motor proteins are dimers, possessing two heads that facilitate their movement along filament tracks.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe how filament polarity influences motor protein movement.

<p>Motor proteins move directionally along polarized filaments, with plus ends facilitating forward transport and minus ends potentially hindering it.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does the structural difference between actin and microtubules play in cellular functions?

<p>Actin filaments are involved in muscle contraction and cell shape changes, while microtubules provide tracks for motor proteins in intracellular transport.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does filament polarity contribute to the dynamic instability observed in microtubules?

<p>The polarity allows for rapid addition of tubulin dimers at the plus end, while the minus end can rapidly lose dimers, leading to dynamic instability.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the significance of asymmetric subunits in the functioning of actin filaments.

<p>Asymmetric actin subunits create a structural polarity necessary for filament treadmilling and interaction with motor proteins.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way does the polarity of actin and microtubules affect their interaction with motor proteins?

<p>Motor proteins are adapted to bind specifically to the ends of these polarized filaments to ensure effective transport and force generation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is it essential for cellular structures to have polarized filaments such as actin and microtubules?

<p>Polarized filaments enable directional growth and movement, which is fundamental for processes like cell motility and division.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Discuss how the structural characteristics of actin and microtubules relate to their roles in cellular architecture.

<p>Actin provides shape and drives motility due to its dynamic characteristics, while microtubules form stable scaffolding essential for organelle positioning.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Cytoskeletal Filament Systems

  • Organized networks of polymers within cells involved in cellular structure and function.

The Three Major Cytoskeletal Systems in Eukaryotic Cells

  • Intermediate filaments
  • Actin filaments
  • Microtubules
  • All three are made up of subunits that combine to form polymers/filaments.
  • Polymers are formed through non-covalent interactions (reversible protein-protein interactions).

Intermediate Filaments

  • Named because they have an "intermediate" diameter between actin filaments and myosin filaments.
  • Made of fibrous proteins.
  • Flexible and have high tensile strength (can withstand stress)
  • Found in the cytoplasm of most (not all) types of animal cells.
  • Different types of cytoplasmic intermediate filaments vary by cell type.
  • Nuclear lamins are found in all animal cells.

Intermediate Filament Subunit

  • Two dimers arranged in an antiparallel fashion.
  • Dimers stacked on top of each other, but slightly offset.
  • N-termini stick out at each end.

Intermediate Filament Polymer Formation

  • Monomers form parallel dimers.
  • Dimers form antiparallel tetramers.
  • 8 tetramers associate laterally (side-to-side).
  • Groups of 8 tetramers associate end-to-end.

Intermediate Filament Properties

  • Strong lateral interactions along the lengths of the subunits.
  • Gives the filaments strong rope-like properties.
  • Provide structural support to cells.

Types of Intermediate Filaments

  • Keratin filaments (cytoplasmic)
  • Nuclear lamins (nuclear intermediate filaments)

Cytoplasmic Intermediate Filaments - Example: Keratin Filaments

  • Found within the cytoplasm of cells.
  • Anchored to the plasma membrane to provide structure to cells.
  • Linked to sites of connections with neighboring cells, called desmosomes.
  • Linking cells mechanically couples them, giving structure to sheets of cells.

Nuclear Intermediate Filaments - Example: Nuclear Lamins

  • Support and strengthen the nuclear membrane.
  • Progeria, a premature aging disease, is caused by defects in a particular nuclear lamin protein.
  • Give support to the cells themselves (cytoplasmic IFs) or the nucleus (nuclear lamins).

Actin Filaments

  • Present in all eukaryotes.
  • Highly dynamic - subunits can be added/removed from the ends.
  • Subunit is a single copy of the protein actin.

Actin Filament Polymerization

  • Monomers assemble into a two-stranded helix.

Microtubules

  • Present in all eukaryotes.
  • Hollow cylinders made of tubulin heterodimers.
  • Highly dynamic.

Microtubule Subunit

  • Each subunit is a dimer of -tubulin and -tubulin.
  • Heterodimer is formed through non-covalent protein-protein interactions, but the two proteins are tightly bound and never come apart.

Microtubule Polymerization

  • Each subunit is a heterodimer of -tubulin and -tubulin.
  •  heterodimers assemble into protofilaments.
  • Lateral interactions between protofilaments form the tube (13 protofilaments in tube).

Summary: The Three Cytoskeletal Networks

  • Filaments look different.
  • Built from different types of subunits.

Actin Filament Polarity

  • Has two distinct ends: a plus end and a minus end.
  • The plus end grows faster than the minus end due to faster subunit addition.

Microtubule Polarity

  • Also has a fast growing “plus” end and a slow growing “minus” end.
  • The plus end grows longer than the minus end.

Introduction

  • Skin is sensitive to damage and even light pressure can cause blistering.

Nuclear Intermediate Filaments

  • Support and strengthen the nuclear membrane
  • Progeria, a premature aging disease, is caused by defects in a specific nuclear lamin protein
  • Normal lamin proteins have a normal nucleus shape
  • Mutant lamin proteins have an irregular nucleus shape

Intermediate Filament Proteins

  • Provide structural support for cells
  • Cytoplasmic intermediate filaments (cytoplasmic IFs) are found in the cytoplasm
  • Nuclear lamins are found in the nucleus

Actin Filaments

  • Found in all eukaryotes
  • Dynamic, subunits can be added or removed from the ends
  • Composed of actin monomers, which assemble into a two-stranded helix

Microtubules

  • Found in all eukaryotes
  • Hollow cylinders composed of tubulin heterodimers
  • Dynamic, subunits can be added or removed from the ends
  • Composed of alpha-tubulin and beta-tubulin heterodimers, which form protofilaments

The Three Cytoskeletal Networks

  • Different filaments have different structures
  • They are built from different types of subunits
  • Actin filaments and microtubules are polar, meaning the two ends of the filament are structurally different
  • Intermediate filaments are non-polar, meaning the two ends of the filament are structurally the same

Actin and Microtubule Polarity

  • The different ends of actin filaments and microtubules have distinct dynamic properties, referred to as "plus" (fast growing) and "minus" (slow growing) ends

Actin and Microtubule "Plus" and "Minus" Ends

  • The plus end grows faster than the minus end
  • The difference in growth rates is due to the asymmetric structure of the subunits that make up the filaments

Motor Proteins

  • Motor proteins use ATP to walk along cytoskeletal filaments (actin and microtubules)
  • Each class of motor protein walks in a specific direction
  • This allows for directed transport of cellular components to specific locations within the cell

Microtubule Motor Proteins

  • Dynein walks towards the minus end of microtubules
  • Kinesin walks towards the plus end of microtubules

Actin Motor Proteins

  • Myosins walk towards the plus end of actin filaments
  • There are multiple classes of myosin motors that perform different cellular functions

Motor Functions

  • Transport cellular components like vesicles and organelles
  • Slide filaments relative to each other

Myosin II

  • Dimer with two heads that walk on actin filaments
  • Has a coiled-coil tail that allows multiple myosin II molecules to assemble into bipolar filaments
  • These bipolar filaments can slide actin filaments relative to each other

Muscle Contraction

  • Muscles contract by a sliding filament mechanism
  • Myosin II heads walk towards the plus end of actin filaments, shortening the sarcomere, the contractile unit of muscle

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Explore the organized networks of polymers known as cytoskeletal filament systems within eukaryotic cells. This quiz covers the three major cytoskeletal systems—intermediate filaments, actin filaments, and microtubules—along with their structural properties and functions in cellular integrity.

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