Structural highlights
Function[MSP1_ASCSU] Central component in molecular interactions underlying sperm crawling. Forms an extensive filament system that extends from sperm villipoda, along the leading edge of the pseudopod. Evolutionary Conservation Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf. Publication Abstract from PubMedAlthough several models have been proposed to account for how cytoskeleton polymerization drives protrusion in cell motility, the precise mechanism remains controversial. Here, we show that, in addition to force exerted directly against the membrane by growing filaments, the way elongating filaments pack also contributes to protrusion by generating an expansion of the cytoskeleton gel. Tomography shows that filament packing in the major sperm protein (MSP) -based nematode sperm-motility machinery resembles that observed with rigid rods. Maximum rod-packing density decreases dramatically as the rods lengthen. Therefore, as filaments elongate, the cytoskeleton gel expands to accommodate their packing less densely. This volume expansion combines with polymerization to drive protrusion. Consistent with this hypothesis, an engineered MSP mutant that generates shorter filaments shows higher filament-packing density and slower movement. The role of filament-packing dynamics in powering amoeboid cell motility.,Miao L, Vanderlinde O, Liu J, Grant RP, Wouterse A, Shimabukuro K, Philipse A, Stewart M, Roberts TM Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Apr 8;105(14):5390-5. Epub 2008 Apr 2. PMID:18385381[1] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. References | ||||||||||||||||||
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