Wenxiang Cao

TL;DR: In vitro work in vitro shows that myosins can use a “selection orientation” mechanism to pull selectively on actin filaments, contract the actin network and disassemble it, and suggests how the dynamics of the cellular actin cytoskeleton can be spatially controlled by actomyosin contractility.

TL;DR: The concept of "network connectivity" is introduced and it is shown that the contractions of distinct actin architectures are described by the same master curve when considering their degree of connectivity, making it possible to predict the dynamic response of defined actin structures to transient changes in connectivity.

TL;DR: Measurements support a coFilin-severing mechanism in which mechanical asymmetry promotes local stress accumulation and fragmentation at boundaries of bare and cofilin-decorated segments, analogous to failure of some nonprotein materials.

TL;DR: The presented analysis of the DbpA ATPase cycle reaction mechanism provides a rigorous kinetic and thermodynamic foundation for developing testable hypotheses regarding the functions and molecular mechanisms of DEAD-box helicases.

TL;DR: It is suggested that the dissociation of actin-associated ions weakens intersubunit interactions in the actin filament lattice that enhance cofilin-binding site accessibility, favor cooperative binding and promote filament severing.