1. |
- Albet-Torres, Nuria, et al.
(author)
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Long-Term Storage of Surface-Adsorbed Protein Machines
- 2011
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In: Langmuir. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0743-7463 .- 1520-5827. ; 27:11, s. 7108-7112
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The effective and simple long-term storage of complex functional proteins is critical in achieving commercially viable biosensors. This issue is particularly challenging in recently proposed types of nanobiosensors, where molecular-motor-driven transportation substitutes microfluidics and forms the basis for novel detection schemes. Importantly, therefore, we here describe that delicate heavy meromyosin (HMM)-based nanodevices (HMM motor fragments adsorbed to silanized surfaces and actin bound to HMM) fully maintain their function when stored at -20 degrees C for more than a month. The mechanisms for the excellent preservation of acto-HMM motor function upon repeated freeze thaw cycles are discussed. The results are important to the future commercial implementation of motor-based nanodevices and are of more general value to the long-term storage of any protein-based bionanodevice.
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2. |
- Albet-Torres, Nuria, et al.
(author)
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Molecular motors on lipid bilayers and silicon dioxide: different driving forces for adsorption
- 2010
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In: Soft Matter. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1744-6848 .- 1744-683X. ; 6:14, s. 3211-3219
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Understanding how different types of interactions govern adsorption of the myosin motor fragment heavy meromyosin (HMM) onto different substrates is important in functional studies of actomyosin and for the development of motor powered lab-on-a-chip applications. In this study, we have combined in vitro motility assays and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) monitoring to investigate the underlying adsorption mechanisms of HMM onto supported lipid bilayers in comparison with pure and silanized SiO2. The QCM-D results, combined with data showing actin transportation by HMM adsorbed onto positively charged supported lipid bilayers, suggest reversible HMM surface adsorption via the negatively charged coiled-coil tail region. In contrast, the QCM-D data for HMM adsorption onto negatively charged lipids support a model according to which HMM adsorbs onto negatively charged surfaces largely via the positively charged actin binding regions. Adsorption studies at low (30-65 mM) and high (185-245 mM) ionic strengths onto piranha cleaned SiO2 surfaces (contact angle
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3. |
- Aveyard,, J, et al.
(author)
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Actin motility confinement on micro/nanostructured surfaces.
- 2013
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In: <em>Proc. SPI</em> 8587, Imaging, Manipulation, and Analysis of Biomolecules, Cells, and Tissues XI, 858722 (February 22, 2013). - : SPIE - International Society for Optical Engineering. ; , s. 858722-858727
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)
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4. |
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5. |
- Balaz, Martina, et al.
(author)
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Effects of surface adsorption on catalytic activity of heavy meromyosin studied using a fluorescent ATP analogue
- 2007
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In: Biochemistry. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0006-2960 .- 1520-4995. ; 46:24, s. 7233-7251
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biochemical studies in solution and with myosin motor fragments adsorbed to surfaces (in vitro motility assays) are invaluable for elucidation of actomyosin function. However, there is limited understanding of how surface adsorption affects motor properties, e.g., catalytic activity. Here we address this issue by comparing the catalytic activity of heavy meromyosin (HMM) in solution and adsorbed to standard motility assay surfaces [derivatized with trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS)]. For these studies we first characterized the interaction of HMM and actomyosin with the fluorescent ATP analogue adenosine 5'-triphosphate Alexa Fluor 647 2'- (or 3'-) O-(N-(2-aminoethyl)urethane) hexa(triethylammonium) salt (Alexa-ATP). The data suggest that Alexa-ATP is hydrolyzed by HMM in solution at a slightly higher rate than ATP but with a generally similar mechanism. Furthermore, Alexa-ATP is effective as a fuel for HMM-propelled actin filament sliding. The catalytic activity of HMM on TMCS surfaces was studied using (1) Alexa-ATP in total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) spectroscopy experiments and (2) Alexa-ATP and ATP in HPLC-aided ATPase measurements. The results support the hypothesis of different HMM configurations on the surface. However, a dominant proportion of the myosin heads were catalytically active, and their average steady-state hydrolysis rate was slightly higher (with Alexa-ATP) or markedly higher (with ATP) on the surface than in solution. The results are discussed in relation to the use of TMCS surfaces and Alexa-ATP for in vitro motility assays and single molecule studies. Furthermore, we propose a novel TIRF microscopy method to accurately determine the surface density of catalytically active myosin motors.
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6. |
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7. |
- Balaz, Martina, et al.
(author)
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Protein-surface Interactions and Functional Geometry of Surface-adsorbed Myosin Motor Fragments
- 2009
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In: Biophysical Journal. - : Biophysical Society. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 96:3 Suppl. 1, s. 495A-495A
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Biophysical studies with myosin motor fragments (heavy meromyosin; HMM and subfragment 1; S1) adsorbed to artificial surfaces, are important for elucidation of actomyosin function. In spite of the widespread use of such in vitro motility assays and single molecule studies, little is known about the adsorption geometry and effects of protein-surface interactions on the motor properties. Here, we investigate these factors with focus on HMM using quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) and total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) spectroscopy based ATPase assays. In the latter, we monitored the turnover of Alexa-fluor647-ATP (Alexa-ATP) by surface adsorbed HMM. Studies were performed with HMM/S1 adsorbed to model hydrophilic (SiO2) or hydrophobic (trimethyl-chlorosilane [TMCS] - derivatized) surfaces. The results suggest that adsorption of HMM is weakened on SiO2 (but not on TMCS) at high (245 mM) compared to low (65 mM) ionic strengths. The changes in ionic strength were also associated with structural changes in the protein layer according to QCM-D studies. Moreover, the TIRF based ATPase assay suggested a larger fraction of HMM molecules with low catalytic activity on SiO2. These and other TIRF and QCM-D results, suggest that HMM preferentially adsorbs to negatively charged hydrophilic surfaces via the actin-binding region. In contrast, the majority of the HMM molecules seem to adsorb via their C-terminal tail on moderately hydrophobic surfaces. In the latter case the catalytic sites appear to be close to, but not immobilized on the surface. The results with HMM were compared to, and found consistent with, QCM-D and TIRF-data obtained with S1 motor fragments.
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8. |
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9. |
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10. |
- Bengtsson, Elina, et al.
(author)
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Actomyosin Interactions and Different Structural States of Actin Filaments
- 2013
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In: Biophysical Journal. - : Biophysical Society. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 104:2 Suppl. 1, s. 480A-481A
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The persistence length (LP) of a polymer is proportional to its flexural rigidity and quantifies the decay length of its tangent angle (for a polymer freely suspended in solution). Further, it has been suggested that the decay length for the sliding direction of heavy meromyosin (HMM) propelled actin filaments in the in vitro motility assay (IVMA) is quantitatively identical to Lp of the free leading filament end. On this assumption we measured LP under different conditions to address a hypothesis that the actin filament exists in different metastable conformations, each characterized by a different flexural rigidity. The following values for Lp (mean 5 95 % confidence limits) were obtained: 1. with phalloidin (Ph) in solution: 12.61 5 0.65 mm (N=809). 2. without Phin solution: 9.07 5 1.06 mm (N=811), 3. with Ph and HMM in solution (rigor):10.21 5 0.75 mm (N=429), 4. without Ph (from IVMA paths; 1 mM MgATP):10.0850.66 mm (N=309), 5. with Ph, IVMA (1 mM MgATP): 11.41 5 0.57 mm (N=243), 6. with Ph, IVMA, 0.05 mM MgATP: 6.30 5 0.27 mm (N=383) and 7. without Ph, IVMA, 0.02-0.05 mM MgATP: 5.33 5 0.37 mm (N=161). The re-sults are consistent with different actin filament states where one is stabilized by phalloidin and one is favored by HMM binding and the absence of Ph. Effects of HMM are consistent with a possible role of the structural state of actin filaments in effective actomyosin motility. The very low LP found for IVMA at low [MgATP] (6-7) may reflect the presence of an actin filament state populated at low average cross-bridge strains, possibly with MgADP at the active site. Alternatively, it may be due to sideways forces produced by increased number of HMM-actin interactions close to the leading filament end.
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11. |
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12. |
- Bengtsson, Elina, et al.
(author)
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Altered Structural State of Actin Filaments Upon MYOSIN II Binding
- 2015
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In: Biophysical Journal. - : Biophysical Society. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 108:2 Suppl. 1, s. 299A-300A
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The paths of actin filaments propelled over a heavy meromyosin (HMM) surface in the in vitro motility assay (IVMA) can statistically be described by a path persistence length (LPP) and has been hypothesized to be proportional to the flexural rigidity of the filaments. Here, we have studied the LPP at high (130 mM) ionic strength along with the persistence length of actin filaments in solution (LPS) to elucidate how HMM binding affects the flexural rigidity of actin filaments. Characterization and control of material properties, such as the path persistence length, is useful in engineered devices that takes advantages of the function of the muscle contractile proteins e.g. for biocomputation. It has been suggested that myosin binding reduces Lpp for phalloidin stabilizedact in filaments. This is consistent with the results presented here where the phalloidin stabilized actin filaments rigidity is reduced to the level of phalloidin free actin filaments in the IVMA. Further, reducing the MgATP concentration in the IVMA would increase the HMM head density along the actin filament hence making the effect of myosin binding more pronounced. A reduced [MgATP] from 1 mM to 0.02-0.05 mM did indeed reduce the LPP from 10-12 mm to 6-7 mm for both phalloidin-stabilized and phalloidin free actin filaments. Additionally, we found a negative correlation between the LPS and the [HMM]/actin ratio. However, this [HMM] dependent reduction observed in LPS was too small to account for the reduction in LPP seen with reduced [MgATP] in the IVMA. Monte-Carlo simulations and theoretical analysis revealed that the large reduction in LPP is consistent with the idea that every head attachment adds an extra angular displacement.(Support from EU-FP7-FET-ABACUS grant number 613044).
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13. |
- Bengtsson, Elina, et al.
(author)
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Analysis of Flexural Rigidity of Actin Filaments Propelled by Surface Adsorbed Myosin Motors
- 2013
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In: Cytoskeleton. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1949-3584 .- 1949-3592. ; 70:11, s. 718-728
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Actin filaments are central components of the cytoskeleton and the contractile machinery of muscle. The filaments are known to exist in a range of conformational states presumably with different flexural rigidity and thereby different persistence lengths. Our results analyze the approaches proposed previously to measure the persistence length from the statistics of the winding paths of actin filaments that are propelled by surface-adsorbed myosin motor fragments in the in vitro motility assay. Our results suggest that the persistence length of heavy meromyosin propelled actin filaments can be estimated with high accuracy and reproducibility using this approach provided that: (1) the in vitro motility assay experiments are designed to prevent bias in filament sliding directions, (2) at least 200 independent filament paths are studied, (3) the ratio between the sliding distance between measurements and the camera pixel-size is between 4 and 12, (4) the sliding distances between measurements is less than 50% of the expected persistence length, and (5) an appropriate cut-off value is chosen to exclude abrupt large angular changes in sliding direction that are complications, e.g., due to the presence of rigor heads. If the above precautions are taken the described method should be a useful routine part of in vitro motility assays thus expanding the amount of information to be gained from these.
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14. |
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15. |
- Bengtsson, Elina, et al.
(author)
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Myosin-Induced Gliding Patterns at Varied [MgATP] Unveil a Dynamic Actin Filament
- 2016
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In: Biophysical Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 111:7, s. 1465-1477
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Actin filaments have key roles in cell motility but are generally claimed to be passive interaction partners in actin-myosin -based motion generation. Here, we present evidence against this static view based on an altered myosin-induced actin filament gliding pattern in an in vitro motility assay at varied [MgATP]. The statistics that characterize the degree of meandering of the actin filament paths suggest that for [MgATP] >= 0.25 mM, the flexural rigidity of heavy meromyosin (HMM)-propelled actin filaments is similar (without phalloidin) or slightly lower (with phalloidin) than that of HMM-free filaments observed in solution without surface tethering. When [MgATP] was reduced to <= 0.1 mM, the actin filament paths in the in vitro motility assay became appreciably more winding in both the presence and absence of phalloidin. This effect of lowered [MgATP] was qualitatively different from that seen when HMM was mixed with ATP-insensitive, N-ethylmaleimide-treated HMM (NEM-HMM; 25-30%). In particular, the addition of NEM-HMM increased a non-Gaussian tail in the path curvature distribution as well as the number of events in which different parts of an actin filament followed different paths. These effects were the opposite of those observed with reduced [MgATP]. Theoretical modeling suggests a 30-40% lowered flexural rigidity of the actin filaments at [MgATP] <= 0.1 mM and local bending of the filament front upon each myosin head attachment. Overall, the results fit with appreciable structural changes in the actin filament during actomyosin-based motion generation, and modulation of the actin filament mechanical properties by the dominating chemomechanical actomyosin state.
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16. |
- Bengtsson, Elina, et al.
(author)
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Winding Actin Filament Paths Provide Mechanistic Insights Into Actomyosin Function
- 2012
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In: Biophysical Journal. - : Biophysical Society. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 102:3 Suppl. 1, s. 146A-146A
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The statistics of heavy meromyosin (HMM) driven actin filament paths in vitro, and thermal fluctuations of actin filaments suspended in a pseudo 2D-space in solution, can be described by the cosine correlation equation (CCE): = exp(-s/[2*Lp]). Here, q0) and qs) represent tangent angles at distance 0 and s, respectively from one filament end (in solution) or from the starting point of the path. The quantity Lp is the persistence length (proportional to flexural rigidity) of the filament/path. In vitro motility assay (IVMA) studies (27-29oC) were performed along with studies of actin filaments suspended between two cover-slips in solution. Fits to the CCE gave LP = 16.5 5 1.7 mm (mean 5 95 % confidence interval) and 11.1 5 0.6 mm for phalloidin stabilized filaments in solution and propelled by HMM, respectively. In contrast, phalloidin free actin filaments (NHS-rhodamine labeled) exhibited similar LP in solution 10.1 52.1 mm and during HMM propulsion (9.8 5 0.9 mm). The filament paths were modeled using a Monte-Carlo approach updating angular changes in sliding direction at short time intervals (dt) assuming 1. lateral displacements due to cross-bridge forces and 2. thermal fluctuations of the leading filament end. The results suggest that > 3nm average lateral displacement during each actomyosin interaction would reduce LP by > 30 % compared to that of filaments without HMM. The findings are consistent with the following ideas: 1. Actin filaments exist in two different flexural rigidity states, one favored by myosin binding and the other by phalloidin stabilization, 2. Changes in actin filament flexural rigidity is not required for motion generation. 3. The myosin cross-bridges produce minimal lateral movements (< 3 nm) during the power-stroke.
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17. |
- Berg, Albin, et al.
(author)
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Cost-Efficient Expression of Human Cardiac Myosin Heavy Chain in C2C12 Cells with a Non-Viral Transfection Reagent
- 2024
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In: International Journal of Molecular Sciences. - : MDPI. - 1661-6596 .- 1422-0067. ; 25:12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Production of functional myosin heavy chain (MHC) of striated muscle myosin II for studies of isolated proteins requires mature muscle (e.g., C2C12) cells for expression. This is important both for fundamental studies of molecular mechanisms and for investigations of deleterious diseases like cardiomyopathies due to mutations in the MHC gene (MYH7). Generally, an adenovirus vector is used for transfection, but recently we demonstrated transfection by a non-viral polymer reagent, JetPrime. Due to the rather high costs of JetPrime and for the sustainability of the virus-free expression method, access to more than one transfection reagent is important. Here, we therefore evaluate such a candidate substance, GenJet. Using the human cardiac beta-myosin heavy chain (beta-MHC) as a model system, we found effective transfection of C2C12 cells showing a transfection efficiency nearly as good as with the JetPrime reagent. This was achieved following a protocol developed for JetPrime because a manufacturer-recommended application protocol for GenJet to transfect cells in suspension did not perform well. We demonstrate, using in vitro motility assays and single-molecule ATP turnover assays, that the protein expressed and purified from cells transfected with the GenJet reagent is functional. The purification yields reached were slightly lower than in JetPrime-based purifications, but they were achieved at a significantly lower cost. Our results demonstrate the sustainability of the virus-free method by showing that more than one polymer-based transfection reagent can generate useful amounts of active MHC. Particularly, we suggest that GenJet, due to its current similar to 4-fold lower cost, is useful for applications requiring larger amounts of a given MHC variant.
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18. |
- Berg, Albin, et al.
(author)
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Probing actin-activated ATP turnover kinetics of human cardiac myosin II by single molecule fluorescence
- 2024
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In: Cytoskeleton. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 1949-3584 .- 1949-3592.
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Mechanistic insights into myosin II energy transduction in striated muscle in health and disease would benefit from functional studies of a wide range of point-mutants. This approach is, however, hampered by the slow turnaround of myosin II expression that usually relies on adenoviruses for gene transfer. A recently developed virus-free method is more time effective but would yield too small amounts of myosin for standard biochemical analyses. However, if the fluorescent adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and single molecule (sm) total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy previously used to analyze basal ATP turnover by myosin alone, can be expanded to actin-activated ATP turnover, it would appreciably reduce the required amount of myosin. To that end, we here describe zero-length cross-linking of human cardiac myosin II motor fragments (sub-fragment 1 long [S1L]) to surface-immobilized actin filaments in a configuration with maintained actin-activated ATP turnover. After optimizing the analysis of sm fluorescence events, we show that the amount of myosin produced from C2C12 cells in one 60 mm cell culture plate is sufficient to obtain both the basal myosin ATP turnover rate and the maximum actin-activated rate constant (k(cat)). Our analysis of many single binding events of fluorescent ATP to many S1L motor fragments revealed processes reflecting basal and actin-activated ATPase, but also a third exponential process consistent with non-specific ATP-binding outside the active site.
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19. |
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20. |
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22. |
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23. |
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24. |
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25. |
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26. |
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27. |
- Chase, P. Bryant, et al.
(author)
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Bionanotechnology and Nanomedicine
- 2012
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In: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology. - : Hindawi Limited. - 1110-7243 .- 1110-7251. ; 2012, s. Article ID 763967-
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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28. |
- Danielsson, Tom, 1969-, et al.
(author)
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Two-peaked increase of serum myosin heavy chain-α after triathlon suggests heart muscle cell death
- 2019
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In: BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine. - : BMJ Publishing Group Ltd. - 2055-7647 .- 2055-7647. ; 5
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective It has been suggested that the mechanism behind cardiac troponin elevation after strenuous exercise is passage through a cell membrane with changed permeability rather than myocardial cell death. We hypothesised that an increase of cardiac specific myosin heavy chain-alpha (MHC-α; 224 kDa compared with cardiac troponin T’s (cTnT) 37 kDa) could hardly be explained by passage through a cell membrane.Methods Blood samples were collected from 56 athletes (15 female, age 42.5±9.7, range 24–70 years) before, directly after and on days 1–8 after an Ironman. Biomarkers (C reactive protein (CRP), cTnT, creatinekinase (CK), MHC-α, myoglobin (MG), creatinine (C) and N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) were measured.Results The course of MHC-α concentration (μg/L) was 1.33±0.53 (before), 2.57±0.78 (directly after), 1.51±0.53 (day 1), 2.74±0.55 (day 4) and 1.83±0.76 (day 6). Other biomarkers showed a one-peaked increase with maximal values either directly after the race or at day 1: cTnT 76 ±80 ng/L (12–440; reference<15), NT-proBNP 776±684 ng/L (92–4700; ref.<300), CK 68±55 μkat/L (5–280; ref.<1.9), MG 2088±2350 μg/L (130–17 000; ref.<72) and creatinine 100±20 μmol/L (74–161; ref.<100), CRP 49±23 mg/L(15–119; ref.<5).Conclusion MHC-α exhibited a two-peaked increase which could represent a first release from the cytosolic pool and later from cell necrosis. This is the first investigation of MHC-α plasma concentration afterexercise.
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29. |
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30. |
- Khrennikov, Andrei, et al.
(author)
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Hierarchical model of the actomyosin molecular motor based on ultrametric diffusion with drift
- 2015
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In: Infinite Dimensional Analysis Quantum Probability and Related Topics. - 0219-0257. ; 18:2
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We discuss the approach to investigate molecular machines using systems of integro-differential ultrametric (p-adic) reaction-diffusion equations with drift. This approach combines the features of continuous and discrete dynamic models. We apply this model to investigation of actomyosin molecular motor. The introduced system of equations is solved analytically using p-adic wavelet theory. We find explicit stationary solutions and behavior in the relaxation regime.
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31. |
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32. |
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33. |
- Korten, Slobodanka, et al.
(author)
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Sample solution constraints on motor-driven diagnostic nanodevices
- 2013
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In: Lab on a Chip. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1473-0197 .- 1473-0189. ; 13:5, s. 866-876
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The last decade has seen appreciable advancements in efforts towards increased portability of lab-on-a-chip devices by substituting microfluidics with molecular motor-based transportation. As of now, first proof-of-principle devices have analyzed protein mixtures of low complexity, such as target protein molecules in buffer solutions optimized for molecular motor performance. However, in a diagnostic workup, lab-on-a-chip devices need to be compatible with complex biological samples. While it has been shown that such samples do not interfere with crucial steps in molecular diagnostics (for example antibody-antigen recognition), their effect on molecular motors is unknown. This critical and long overlooked issue is addressed here. In particular, we studied the effects of blood, cell lysates and solutions containing genomic DNA extracts on actomyosin and kinesin-microtubule-based transport, the two biomolecular motor systems that are most promising for lab-on-a-chip applications. We found that motor function is well preserved at defined dilutions of most of the investigated biological samples and demonstrated a molecular motor-driven label-free blood type test. Our results support the feasibility of molecular-motor driven nanodevices for diagnostic point-of-care applications and also demonstrate important constraints imposed by sample composition and device design that apply both to kinesin-microtubule and actomyosin driven applications.
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34. |
- Korten, Till, et al.
(author)
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Towards the application of cytoskeletal motor proteins in molecular detection and diagnostic devices
- 2010
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In: Current Opinion in Biotechnology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0958-1669 .- 1879-0429. ; 21:4, s. 477-488
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Over the past ten years, great advancements have been made towards using biomolecular motors for nanotechnological applications. In particular, devices using cytoskeletal motor proteins for molecular transport are maturing. First efforts towards designing such devices used motor proteins attached to micro-structured substrates for the directed transport of microtubules and actin filaments. Soon thereafter, the specific capture, transport and detection of target analytes like viruses were demonstrated. Recently, spatial guiding of the gliding filaments was added to increase the sensitivity of detection and allow parallelization. Whereas molecular motor powered devices have not yet demonstrated performance beyond the level of existing detection techniques, the potential is great: Replacing microfluidics with transport powered by molecular motors allows integration of the energy source (ATP) into the assay solution. This opens up the opportunity to design highly integrated, miniaturized, autonomous detection devices. Such devices, in turn, may allow fast and cheap on-site diagnosis of diseases and detection of environmental pathogens and toxins.
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35. |
- Kumar, Saroj, et al.
(author)
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Antibodies Covalently Immobilized on Actin Filaments for Fast Myosin Driven Analyte Transport
- 2012
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 7:10
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biosensors would benefit from further miniaturization, increased detection rate and independence from external pumps and other bulky equipment. Whereas transportation systems built around molecular motors and cytoskeletal filaments hold significant promise in the latter regard, recent proof-of-principle devices based on the microtubule-kinesin motor system have not matched the speed of existing methods. An attractive solution to overcome this limitation would be the use of myosin driven propulsion of actin filaments which offers motility one order of magnitude faster than the kinesin-microtubule system. Here, we realized a necessary requirement for the use of the actomyosin system in biosensing devices, namely covalent attachment of antibodies to actin filaments using heterobifunctional cross-linkers. We also demonstrated consistent and rapid myosin II driven transport where velocity and the fraction of motile actin filaments was negligibly affected by the presence of antibody-antigen complexes at rather high density (>20 mu m(-1)). The results, however, also demonstrated that it was challenging to consistently achieve high density of functional antibodies along the actin filament, and optimization of the covalent coupling procedure to increase labeling density should be a major focus for future work. Despite the remaining challenges, the reported advances are important steps towards considerably faster nanoseparation than shown for previous molecular motor based devices, and enhanced miniaturization because of high bending flexibility of actin filaments.
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36. |
- Kumar, Saroj, et al.
(author)
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Covalent and non-covalent chemical engineering of actin for biotechnological applications
- 2017
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In: Biotechnology Advances. - : Elsevier. - 0734-9750 .- 1873-1899. ; 35:7, s. 867-888
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The cytoskeletal filaments are self-assembled protein polymers with 8-25 nm diameters and up to several tens of micrometres length. They have a range of pivotal roles in eukaryotic cells, including transportation of intracellular cargoes (primarily microtubules with dynein and kinesin motors) and cell motility (primarily actin and myosin) where muscle contraction is one example. For two decades, the cytoskeletal filaments and their associated motor systems have been explored for nanotechnological applications including miniaturized sensor systems andlab-on-a-chip devices. Several developments have also revolved around possible exploitation of the filaments alone without their motor partners. Efforts to use the cytoskeletal filaments for applications often require chemical or genetic engineering of the filaments such as specific conjugation with fluorophores, antibodies, oligonucleotides or various macromolecular complexes e.g. nanoparticles. Similar conjugation methods are also instrumental for a range of fundamental biophysical studies. Here we review methods for non-covalent and covalent chemical modifications of actin filaments with focus on critical advantages and challenges of different methods as well as critical steps in the conjugation procedures. We also review potential uses of the engineered actin filaments in nanotechnological applications and in some key fundamental studies of actin and myosin function. Finally, we consider possible future lines of investigation that may be addressed by applying chemical conjugation of actin in new ways.
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37. |
- Kumar, Saroj, et al.
(author)
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Magnetic capture from blood rescues molecular motor function in diagnostic nanodevices
- 2013
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In: Journal of Nanobiotechnology. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1477-3155. ; 11
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Introduction of effective point-of-care devices for use in medical diagnostics is part of strategies to combat accelerating health-care costs. Molecular motor driven nanodevices have unique potentials in this regard due to unprecedented level of miniaturization and independence of external pumps. However motor function has been found to be inhibited by body fluids.Results: We report here that a unique procedure, combining separation steps that rely on antibody-antigen interactions, magnetic forces applied to magnetic nanoparticles (MPs) and the specificity of the actomyosin bond, can circumvent the deleterious effects of body fluids (e.g. blood serum). The procedure encompasses the following steps: (i) capture of analyte molecules from serum by MP-antibody conjugates, (ii) pelleting of MP-antibody-analyte complexes, using a magnetic field, followed by exchange of serum for optimized biological buffer, (iii) mixing of MP-antibody-analyte complexes with actin filaments conjugated with same polyclonal antibodies as the magnetic nanoparticles. This causes complex formation: MP-antibody-analyte-antibody-actin, and magnetic separation is used to enrich the complexes. Finally (iv) the complexes are introduced into a nanodevice for specific binding via actin filaments to surface adsorbed molecular motors (heavy meromyosin). The number of actin filaments bound to the motors in the latter step was significantly increased above the control value if protein analyte (50-60 nM) was present in serum (in step i) suggesting appreciable formation and enrichment of the MP-antibody-analyte-antibody-actin complexes. Furthermore, addition of ATP demonstrated maintained heavy meromyosin driven propulsion of actin filaments showing that the serum induced inhibition was alleviated. Detailed analysis of the procedure i-iv, using fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy identified main targets for future optimization.Conclusion: The results demonstrate a promising approach for capturing analytes from serum for subsequent motor driven separation/detection. Indeed, the observed increase in actin filament number, in itself, signals the presence of analyte at clinically relevant nM concentration without the need for further motor driven concentration. Our analysis suggests that exchange of polyclonal for monoclonal antibodies would be a critical improvement, opening for a first clinically useful molecular motor driven lab-on-a-chip device.
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38. |
- Kumar, Saroj, et al.
(author)
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Sensing protein antigen and microvesicle analytes using high-capacity biopolymer nano-carriers
- 2016
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In: The Analyst. - 0003-2654 .- 1364-5528. ; 141:3, s. 836-846
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Lab-on-a-chip systems with molecular motor driven transport of analytes attached to cytoskeletal filament shuttles (actin filaments, microtubules) circumvent challenges with nanoscale liquid transport. However, the filaments have limited cargo-carrying capacity and limitations either in transportation speed (microtubules) or control over motility direction (actin). To overcome these constraints we here report incorporation of covalently attached antibodies into self-propelled actin bundles (nanocarriers) formed by cross-linking antibody conjugated actin filaments viafascin, a natural actin-bundling protein. We demonstrate high maximum antigen binding activity and propulsion by surface adsorbed myosin motors. Analyte transport capacity is tested using both protein antigens and microvesicles, a novel class of diagnostic markers. Increased incubation concentration with protein antigen in the 0.1–100 nM range (1 min) reduces the fraction of motile bundles and their velocity but maximum transportation capacity of >1 antigen per nm of bundle length is feasible. At sub-nanomolar protein analyte concentration, motility is very well preserved opening for orders of magnitude improved limit of detection using motor driven concentration on nanoscale sensors. Microvesicle-complexing to monoclonal antibodies on the nanocarriers compromises motility but nanocarrier aggregation via microvesicles shows unique potential in label-free detection with the aggregates themselves as non-toxic reporter elements.
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39. |
- Lard, Mercy, et al.
(author)
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Detection of Single Actin Filaments at Fluorescence Interference Contrast Checkpoints
- 2012
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In: Biophysical Journal. - : Biophysical Society. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 102:3 Suppl. 1, s. 727A-727A
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)abstract
- A number of emerging concepts for on-chip biotechnologies replace micro-fluidic flow by active, molecular-motor driven transport of filaments. Examples include applications in bio-simulation, diagnostics, and drug screening. Here we employ actomyosin molecular motors, embedded in nanostructures, as a platform for bio-simulation of the time evolution of motile objects in complex networks. A specific need for this type of application is detection of filaments at specific checkpoints in the device with high signal-to-noise ratio, for example to record the number and speed of filaments at a certain location in the device. To serve this need, we make use of fluorescence interference contrast (FLIC) at thin gold lines running perpendicular to nano-sized polymer resist channels that guide filament motion. We have demonstrated that it is possible to track single or multiple filaments passing over these gold lines, using either an enhanced or quenched fluorescence signal. We will discuss the fine-tuning of the device design, development of an algorithm for analyzing the optical readout signal from these detectors, and explo-ration of the error limits of detection. The results will help establish the viability of active, motor-driven on-chip applications which, among other advantages, offer substantial potential for miniaturization due to the absence of a need for pumps. The results also open for automatic read-out of velocity inhigh-throughput motility assays e.g. for drug discovery or fundamental bio-physical investigations. This work is supported by MONAD, an EU-FP7 collaborative effort.
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40. |
- Lard, Mercy, et al.
(author)
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Molecular Motor Transport through Hollow Nanowires
- 2014
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In: Nano letters (Print). - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1530-6984 .- 1530-6992. ; 14:6, s. 3041-3046
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biomolecular motors offer self-propelled, directed transport in designed microscale networks and can potentially replace pump-driven nanofluidics. However, in existing systems, transportation is limited to the two-dimensional plane. Here we demonstrate fully one-dimensional (1D) myosin-driven motion of fluorescent probes (actin filaments) through 80 nm wide, Al2O3 hollow nanowires of micrometer length. The motor-driven transport is orders of magnitude faster than would be possible by passive diffusion. The system represents a necessary element for advanced devices based on gliding assays, for example, in lab-on-a-chip systems with channel crossings and in pumpless nanosyringes. It may also serve as a scaffold for bottom-up assembly of muscle proteins into actin ordered contractile units, mimicking the muscle sarcomere.
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41. |
- Lard, Mercy, et al.
(author)
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Nano-structuring for molecular motor control
- 2015
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In: Nano-Structures for Optics and Photonics. - Dordrecht : Springer. ; , s. 459-459, s. 459-459
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The interaction of self-propelled biological molecular-motors and cytoskeletal filaments holds relevance for a variety of applications such as biosensing, drug screening, diagnostics and biocomputation. The use of these systems for lab-on-a-chip biotechnology applications shows potential for replacement of microfluidic flow by active, molecular-motor driven transport of filaments. The ability to control, confine and detect motile objects in such a system is possible by development of nanostructured surfaces for on-chip applications and fundamental studies of molecular-motors. Here we describe the localized detection (Lard et al., Sci Rep 3:1092, 2013) and fast transport of actin filaments by myosin molecular-motors (Lard et al., Biosens Biolectron 48(0):145–152, 2013), inserted within nanostructures, as a method for biocomputation and molecular concentration. These results include extensive myosin driven concentration of actin filaments on a miniaturized detector, of relevance for use of molecular-motors in a diagnostics platform. Also, we discuss the local enhancement of the fluorescence signal of filaments, relevant for use in a biocomputation device where tracking of potentially thousands of motile objects is of primary significance.
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42. |
- Lard, Mercy, et al.
(author)
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Nanowire-Imposed Geometrical Control in Studies of Actomyosin Motor Function
- 2015
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In: IEEE Transactions on Nanobioscience. - : IEEE. - 1536-1241 .- 1558-2639. ; 14:3, s. 289-297
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Recently, molecular motor gliding assays with actin and myosin from muscle have been realized on semiconductor nanowires coated with Al2O3. This opens for unique nanotechnological applications and novel fundamental studies of actomyosin motor function. Here, we provide a comparison of myosin-driven actin filament motility on Al2O3 to both nitrocellulose and trimethylchlorosilane derivatized surfaces. We also show that actomyosin motility on the less than 200 nm wide tips of arrays of Al2O3-coated nanowires can be used to control the number, and density, of myosin-actin attachment points. Results obtained using nanowire arrays with different inter-wire spacing are consistent with the idea that the actin filament sliding velocity is determined both by the total number and the average density of attached myosin heads along the actin filament. Further, the results are consistent with buckling of long myosin-free segments of the filaments as a factor underlying reduced velocity. On the other hand, the findings do not support a mechanistic role in decreasing velocity, of increased nearest neighbor distance between available myosin heads. Our results open up for more advanced studies that may use nanowire-based structures for fundamental investigations of molecular motors, including the possibility to create a nanowire-templated bottom-up assembly of 3D, muscle-like structures.
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43. |
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44. |
- Lard, Mercy, et al.
(author)
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Tracking Actomyosin at Fluorescence Check Points
- 2013
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Emerging concepts for on-chip biotechnologies aim to replace microfluidic flow by active, molecular-motor driven transport of cytoskeletal filaments, including applications in bio-simulation, biocomputation, diagnostics, and drug screening. Many of these applications require reliable detection, with minimal data acquisition, of filaments at many, local checkpoints in a device consisting of a potentially complex network of channels that guide filament motion. Here we develop such a detection system using actomyosin motility. Detection points consist of pairs of gold lines running perpendicular to nanochannels that guide motion of fluorescent actin filaments. Fluorescence interference contrast (FLIC) is used to locally enhance the signal at the gold lines. A cross-correlation method is used to suppress errors, allowing reliable detection of single or multiple filaments. Optimal device design parameters are discussed. The results open for automatic read-out of filament count and velocity in high-throughput motility assays, helping establish the viability of active, motor-driven on-chip applications.
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45. |
- Lard, Mercy, et al.
(author)
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Ultrafast molecular motor driven nanoseparation and biosensing
- 2013
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In: Biosensors & bioelectronics. - : Elsevier. - 0956-5663 .- 1873-4235. ; 48, s. 145-152
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Portable biosensor systems would benefit from reduced dependency on external power supplies as well as from further miniaturization and increased detection rate. Systems built around self-propelled biological molecular motors and cytoskeletal filaments hold significant promise in these regards as they are built from nanoscale components that enable nanoseparation independent of fluidic pumping. Previously reported microtubule-kinesin based devices are slow, however, compared to several existing biosensor systems. Here we demonstrate that this speed limitation can be overcome by using the faster actomyosin motor system. Moreover, due to lower flexural rigidity of the actin filaments, smaller features can be achieved compared to microtubule-based systems, enabling further miniaturization. Using a device designed through optimization by Monte Carlo simulations, we demonstrate extensive myosin driven enrichment of actin filaments on a detector area of less than 10 μm2, with a concentration half-time of approximately 40 s. We also show accumulation of model analyte (streptavidin at nanomolar concentration in nanoliter effective volume) detecting increased fluorescence intensity within seconds after initiation of motor-driven transportation from capture regions. We discuss further optimizations of the system and incorporation into a complete biosensing workflow.
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46. |
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47. |
- Li, Mingxin, 1964-
(author)
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Celluar and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Contraction in Health and Disease
- 2010
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Morphological changes, genetic modifications, and cell functional alterations are not always parallel. Therefore, assessment of skeletal muscle function is an integral part of the etiological approach. The general objective of this thesis was to look into the cellular and molecular events occurring in skeletal muscle contraction in healthy and diseased condition, using a single fiber preparation and a single fiber in vitro motility assay, in an attempt to approach the underlying mechanisms from different physiological angles. In a body size related muscle contractility study, scaling of actin filament sliding speed and its temperature sensitivity has been investigated in mammals covering a 5,500-fold difference in body mass. A profound temperature dependence of actin filament sliding speed over myosin head was demonstrated irrespective of MyHC isoform expression and species. However, the expected body size related scaling within orthologus myosin isoforms between species failed to be maintained at any temperature over 5,500-fold range in body mass, with the larger species frequently having faster in vitro motility speeds than the smaller species. This suggest that apart from the MyHC iso-form expression, other factors such as thin filament proteins and myofilament lattice spacing, may contribute to the scaling related regulation of skeletal muscle contractility. A study of a novel R133W β-tropomyosin mutation on regulation of skeletal muscle contraction in the skinned single fiber prepration and single fiber in vitro motility assay suggested that the mutation induced alteration in myosin-actin kinetics causing a reduced number of myosin molecules in the strong actin binding state, resulting in overall muscle weakness in the absence of muscle wasting. A study on a type IIa MyHC isoform missense mutation at the motor protein level demonstrated a significant negative effect on the function of the IIa MyHC isoform while other myosin isoforms had normal function. This provides evidence that the pathogenesis of the MyHC IIa E706K myopathy involves defective function of the mutated myosin as well as alterations in the structural integrity of all muscle irrespective of MyHC isoform expression.
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48. |
- Lindberg, Frida W., et al.
(author)
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Controlled Surface Silanization for Actin-Myosin and Biocompatibility of New Polymer Resists
- 2018
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In: Langmuir. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 0743-7463 .- 1520-5827. ; 34:30, s. 8777-8784
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Molecular motor-based nanodevices require organized cytoskeletal filament guiding along motility-promoting tracks, confined by motility-inhibiting walls. One way to enhance motility quality on the tracks, particularly in terms of filament velocity but also the fraction of motile filaments, is to optimize the surface hydrophobicity. We have investigated the potential to achieve this for the actin myosin II motor system on trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS)-derivatized SiO2 surfaces to be used as channel floors in nanodevices. We have also investigated the ability to supress motility on two new polymer resists, TU7 (for nanoimprint lithography) and CSAR 62 (for electron beam and deep UV lithography), to be used as channel walls. We developed a chemical-vapor deposition tool for silanizing SiO2 surfaces in a controlled environment to achieve different surface hydrophobicities (measured by water contact angle). In contrast to previous work, we were able to fabricate a wide range of contact angles by varying the silanization time and chamber pressure using only one type of silane. This resulted in a significant improvement of the silanization procedure, producing a predictable contact angle on the surface and thereby predictable quality of the heavy meromyosin (HMM)-driven actin motility with regard to velocity. We observed a high degree of correlation between the filament sliding velocity and contact angle in the range 10-86 degrees, expanding the previously studied range. We found that the sliding velocity on TU7 surfaces was superior to that on CSAR 62 surfaces despite similar contact angles. In addition, we were able to suppress the motility on both TU7 and CSAR 62 by plasma oxygen treatment before silanization. These results are discussed in relation to previously proposed surface adsorption mechanisms of HMM and their relationship to the water contact angle. Additionally, the results are considered for the development of actin-myosin based nanodevices with superior performance with respect to actin-myosin functionality.
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49. |
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50. |
- Lindberg, Frida W., et al.
(author)
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Design and development of nanoimprint-enabled structures for molecular motor devices
- 2019
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In: Materials Research Express. - : IOP Publishing. - 2053-1591. ; 6:2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Devices based on molecular motor-driven cytoskeletal filaments, e.g., actin filaments, have been developed both for biosensing and biocomputational applications. Commonly, these devices require nanoscaled tracks for guidance of the actin filaments which has limited the patterning technique to electron beam lithography. Thus, large scale systems become intractable to fabricate at a high throughput within a reasonable time-frame. We have studied the possibility to fabricate molecular motor-based devices using the high throughput, high resolution technique of nanoimprint lithography. Molecular motor-based devices require wide open regions (loading zones) to allow filaments to land for later propulsion into the nanoscale tracks. Such open zones are challenging to fabricate using nanoimprint lithography due to the large amount of material displaced in the process. We found that this challenge can be overcome by introducing nanoscaled pillars inside the loading zones, into which material can be displaced during imprint. By optimising the resist thickness, we were able to decrease the amount of material displaced without suffering from insufficient filling of the stamp. Furthermore, simulations suggest that the shape and positioning of the pillars can be used to tailor the overall cytoskeletal filament transportation direction and behaviour. This is a potentially promising design feature for future applications that however, requires further optimisations before experimental realisation.
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