The dynamics of microtubule stability: A reconstitution of regulated microtubule assembly under force

The microtubule cytoskeleton is an intracellular polymer network involved in cell shape, cell motility, and cell division. Microtubules are self-assembling, dynamic polymers composed of tubulin proteins that alternate between phases of growth and shrinkage, a behaviour known as “dynamic instability”. A key feature of microtubules is their...

Guided by light: Optical control of microtubule gliding assays

Force generation by molecular motors drives biological processes such as asymmetric cell division and cell migration. Microtubule gliding assays in which surface-immobilized motor proteins drive microtubule propulsion are widely used to study basic motor properties as well as the collective behavior of active self-organized systems....