Actin/microtubule interactions

The actin and microtubule (MT) cytoskeletons are key structural components that allow and coordinate rapid and sometimes drastic changes in cellular morphology, such as polarization, migration and cytokinesis. Up until now much attention has been focused on the independent functions and characteristics of these two elements; yet, the properties that emerge from their interactions, and the precise mechanisms by which they communicate with each other (either directly or mediated by a variety of proteins) are just becoming clear. This is a fascinating question and one that guides our research, which aims at investigating how the spatial organization and dynamics of microtubules are controlled by linkages to the actin cytoskeleton; and in turn, how actin structures within the cell are affected by varying MT dynamics.
To this end, we work with in vitro model systems where actin structures interact with MTs; either via actin-MT cross-linkers, or by proteins that interact both with actin and MT plus-end-binding proteins. These experiments allow us to study how dynamically growing and shrinking MTs are captured, transported and/or guided by filamentous actin; which in turn sheds light on the molecular details that guide these processes inside cells.
Although ours is primarily a biophysical approach, the bigger project is interdisciplinary as well, since we closely collaborate with cell and structural biologists, with whom we generate the necessary protein constructs and perform live-cell experiments which are an essential complement to biophysical studies.

More information: Magdalena Preciado Lopez

Collaborators: Dr. Anna Akhmanova and Dr. Michel O. Steinmetz