ArticleScience advances2024
Synthetic control of actin polymerization and symmetry breaking in active protocells.
Article in Science advances, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Balanced contractility and adhesion drive polarization in a minimal elastic actomyosin network.PLoS computational biology · 2026Article
- A synthetic cell microreactor with two types of interacting dynamic DNA-based pores.Nature chemistry · 2026Article
- Cytoskeletal prestress homeostasis is a biological principle that governs living cell structure and function.Mechanobiology in medicine · 2026Review
- Lipid composition effects on the number and size of liposomes formed by the inverted emulsion method.Biophysical journal · 2026Article
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10 authors.
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Abstract
Nonlinear biomolecular interactions on membranes drive membrane remodeling crucial for biological processes including chemotaxis, cytokinesis, and endocytosis. The complexity of biomolecular interactions, their redundancy, and the importance of spatiotemporal context in membrane organization impede understanding of the physical principles governing membrane mechanics. Developing a minimal in vitro system that mimics molecular signaling and membrane remodeling while maintaining physiological fidelity poses a major challenge. Inspired by chemotaxis, we reconstructed chemically regulated actin polymerization inside vesicles, guiding membrane self-organization. An external, undirected chemical input induced directed actin polymerization and membrane deformation uncorrelated with upstream biochemical cues, suggesting symmetry breaking. A biophysical model incorporating actin dynamics and membrane mechanics proposes that uneven actin distributions cause nonlinear membrane deformations, consistent with experimental findings. This protocellular system illuminates the interplay between actin dynamics and membrane shape during symmetry breaking, offering insights into chemotaxis and other cell biological processes.
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