Cytoskeletal proteins articles from across Nature Portfolio

F-actin architecture modulates transmission and generation of stresses in cells, yet its impact on myosin ATP hydrolysis remains unknown. The authors perform experiments measuring myosin ATP hydrolysis rates, showing that F-actin architecture can control myosin energy consumption.

Arp2/3 complex forms branched actin filaments for cell movements. Here, the authors report cryo-EM structures of branch junctions with ADP or ADPBeF_x (to mimic γ-phosphate) bound to Arp3 to explain why γ-phosphate dissociation destabilizes branches.

Integrated structural data show that the MAP7 microtubule binding domain stabilizes the microtubule lattice through binding along protofilaments. Both strong and weak interactions between MAP7 and the lattice extend beyond a single tubulin dimer and include the tubulin C-terminal tails.

Rai et al. report that CAMSAPs can bind to minus ends of microtubules attached to γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) and drive microtubule release. They show that CDK5RAP2, but not CLASP2, inhibits CAMSAP-mediated microtubule release from γ-TuRC.

The maintenance of cell polarity depends on adhesion complexes that tether to the cytoskeleton. Here the authors show the dynamic nature of E-cadherin–Ankyrin-G complex formation and investigate its functional role in epithelial cell polarity maintenance.

In this study the authors explore the enigma of GTP-triggered microtubule assembly. The proposed flexible model emphasizes longitudinal and lateral contacts, enhancing our understanding of microtubule nucleation and assembly.

Cell division critically requires amplification of microtubules (MTs) in the bipolar mitotic spindle. This relies on the filamentous augmin complex that enables MT branching. Studies by Gabel et al., Zupa et al. and Travis et al. describe consistent integrated atomic models of the extraordinarily flexible augmin complex. Their work prompts the question: what is this flexibility really needed for?

Metabolic labeling enables researchers to spatiotemporally assess nascent protein deposition in 3D hydrogels and then study how nascent proteins influence cell behaviors.

A recent study makes the surprising observation that autophagosomes can still form in the absence of the core conjugation machinery. Furthermore, while such autophagosomes can fuse with lysosomes, their degradation is delayed, and this is associated with delayed destruction of the inner autophagosomal double membrane, highlighting a new role for proteins thought to act exclusively in the formation of autophagosomes in late stages of the autophagic itinerary within autolysosomes.

The autophagy-related process LC3-Associated Phagocytosis, or LAP, is known to control the degradation of engulfed cells and microorganisms. Now Martinez et al. discover that LAP controls immune responses to dying cells and its inhibition leads to development of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-like disease.