Actin

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Function

Actin is a protein found in all eukaryotic cells.[1] It is the monomer of two types of filaments: microfilaments which are part of the cytoskeleton and thin filaments which are part of muscles. Three isoforms of actin are identified: α (Aa) (or G-actin) found in muscle tissue, β (Ab) and γ (Ag) actins are components of the cytoskeleton. F-actin is Aa bound to ATP. For more details see:
*F-actin
*Non-polymerizable monomeric actin.
(PDB entries 1hlu and 2btf; morph was taken from Gallery of Morphs of the Yale Morph Server). Actin participates in muscle contraction, cell motility, cell division and cytokinesis. Actin associated with myosin is responsible for most cell movements.

  • α actin is found exclusively in muscle fibres.
  • β actin is required for early embryonic development[2].
  • γ actin is required for cytoskeletal maintenance[3].

See also Actin Protein (Hebrew)

Disease

Mutations in α-actin found in skeletal striated muscles can cause myopathy. Mutations in α-actin found in smooth muscles can cause thoracic aortic aneurism. Mutations in α-actin found in heart muscles can cause heart malfunctioning.

Structural highlights

in a cleft. Water molecules are shown as red spheres. . .[4] It changes its conformation upon hydrolysis of its bound ATP to ADP. Actin filaments are polar. They are formed with all monomers having their clefts pointing in the same direction.

3D Structures of Actin

Actin 3D structures


Native G-actin with methyl-histidine complex with ATP, sulfate and Ca+2 ion (green) 3hbt

Drag the structure with the mouse to rotate


ReferenceReference

  1. Otterbein LR, Graceffa P, Dominguez R. The crystal structure of uncomplexed actin in the ADP state. Science. 2001 Jul 27;293(5530):708-11. PMID:11474115 doi:10.1126/science.1059700
  2. Bunnell TM, Burbach BJ, Shimizu Y, Ervasti JM. β-Actin specifically controls cell growth, migration, and the G-actin pool. Mol Biol Cell. 2011 Nov;22(21):4047-58. PMID:21900491 doi:10.1091/mbc.E11-06-0582
  3. Belyantseva IA, Perrin BJ, Sonnemann KJ, Zhu M, Stepanyan R, McGee J, Frolenkov GI, Walsh EJ, Friderici KH, Friedman TB, Ervasti JM. Gamma-actin is required for cytoskeletal maintenance but not development. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009 Jun 16;106(24):9703-8. PMID:19497859 doi:10.1073/pnas.0900221106
  4. Wang H, Robinson RC, Burtnick LD. The structure of native G-actin. Cytoskeleton (Hoboken). 2010 Jul;67(7):456-65. PMID:20540085 doi:10.1002/cm.20458

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Alexander Berchansky, Michal Harel, Joel L. Sussman