No Cover Image

Journal article 784 views 224 downloads

Effects of the cross-linkers on the buckling of microtubules in cells

Si Li, Chengyuan Wang Orcid Logo, Perumal Nithiarasu Orcid Logo

Journal of Biomechanics, Volume: 72, Pages: 167 - 172

Swansea University Authors: Chengyuan Wang Orcid Logo, Perumal Nithiarasu Orcid Logo

Check full text

DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2018.03.002

Abstract

In cells, the protein cross-linkers lead to a distinct buckling behavior of microtubules (MTs) different from the buckling of individual MTs. This paper thus aims to examine this issue via the molecular structural mechanics (MSM) simulations. The transition of buckling responses was captured as the...

Full description

Published in: Journal of Biomechanics
ISSN: 00219290
Published: 2018
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa38961
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Abstract: In cells, the protein cross-linkers lead to a distinct buckling behavior of microtubules (MTs) different from the buckling of individual MTs. This paper thus aims to examine this issue via the molecular structural mechanics (MSM) simulations. The transition of buckling responses was captured as the two-dimensional-linkers were replaced by the three-dimensional (3D) ones. Then, the effects of the radial orientation and the axial density of the 3D-linkers were examined, showing that more uniform distribution of the radial orientation leads to the higher critical load with 3D buckling modes, while the inhomogeneity of the axial density results in the localized buckling patterns. The results demonstrated the important role of the cross-linker in regulating MT stiffness, revealed the physics of the experimentally observed localized buckling and these results will pave the way to a new multi-component mechanics model for whole cells.
Keywords: Microtubules; 3D localized buckling; Protein cross-linkers; Local density of linkers
College: Faculty of Science and Engineering
Start Page: 167
End Page: 172

Similar Items