Active, motor-driven mechanics in a DNA gel
- 8 October 2012
- journal article
- Published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
- Vol. 109 (43), 17342-17347
- https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1208732109
Abstract
Cells are capable of a variety of dramatic stimuli-responsive mechanical behaviors. These capabilities are enabled by the pervading cytoskeletal network, an active gel composed of structural filaments (e.g., actin) that are acted upon by motor proteins (e.g., myosin). Here, we describe the synthesis and characterization of an active gel using noncytoskeletal components. We use methods of base-pair-templated DNA self assembly to create a hybrid DNA gel containing stiff tubes and flexible linkers. We then activate the gel by adding the motor FtsK50C, a construct derived from the bacterial protein FtsK that, in vitro, has a strong and processive DNA contraction activity. The motors stiffen the gel and create stochastic contractile events that affect the positions of attached beads. We quantify the fluctuations of the beads and show that they are comparable both to measurements of cytoskeletal systems and to theoretical predictions for active gels. Thus, we present a DNA-based active gel whose behavior highlights the universal aspects of nonequilibrium, motor-driven networks.This publication has 31 references indexed in Scilit:
- Non-Gaussian athermal fluctuations in active gelsSoft Matter, 2011
- An active biopolymer network controlled by molecular motorsProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2009
- Nonequilibrium Microtubule Fluctuations in a Model CytoskeletonPhysical Review Letters, 2008
- Nonequilibrium Mechanics of Active Cytoskeletal NetworksScience, 2007
- Synthetic Molecular Motors and Mechanical MachinesAngewandte Chemie, 2006
- Sturdier DNA Nanotubes via LigationNano Letters, 2006
- Microrheology, Stress Fluctuations, and Active Behavior of Living CellsPhysical Review Letters, 2003
- Self-polarization and directional motility of cytoplasmCurrent Biology, 1999
- Capping of surface receptors and concomitant cortical tension are generated by conventional myosinNature, 1989
- Persistent, directional motility of cells and cytoplasmic fragments in the absence of microtubulesNature, 1984