This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing theresources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject andinvestigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source,and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed isfor the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator.In the unactivated Limulus sperm, a 60 m-long bundle of actin filaments crosslinked by scruin is bent and twisted into a coil around the base of the nucleus. At fertilization the bundle uncoils and fully extends in five seconds to support a finger of membrane, the acrosomal process. This biological spring is powered by stored elastic energy and does not require the action of motor proteins or actin polymerization. Our 9.5 electron cryomicroscopic structure of the extended bundle shows that twist, tilt, and rotation of actin-scruin subunits deviate widely from a 'standard' F-actin filament. This deviation appears to be related to the packing requirements of the scruin cross-linkers. The structural organization allows filaments to pack into a highly ordered and rigid bundle in the extended state, but also suggests a mechanism for storing and releasing energy between the coiled and extended states.We are currently analyzing the structure and organization of the actin filament in the bundle, the structure of the scruin, its relationship to the actin, and its packing in the bundle.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Type
Biotechnology Resource Grants (P41)
Project #
5P41RR002250-22
Application #
7598578
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BPC-K (40))
Project Start
2006-12-01
Project End
2007-11-30
Budget Start
2006-12-01
Budget End
2007-11-30
Support Year
22
Fiscal Year
2007
Total Cost
$97,733
Indirect Cost
Name
Baylor College of Medicine
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
051113330
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
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Wensel, Theodore G; Zhang, Zhixian; Anastassov, Ivan A et al. (2016) Structural and molecular bases of rod photoreceptor morphogenesis and disease. Prog Retin Eye Res 55:32-51
Bucero, Marta Abril; Bajaj, Chandrajit; Mourrain, Bernard (2016) On the construction of general cubature formula by flat extensions. Linear Algebra Appl 502:104-125
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Jeter, Cameron B; Patel, Saumil S; Morris, Jeffrey S et al. (2015) Oculomotor executive function abnormalities with increased tic severity in Tourette syndrome. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 56:193-202
Zhang, Qin; Cha, Deukhyun; Bajaj, Chandrajit (2015) Quality Partitioned Meshing of Multi-Material Objects. Procedia Eng 124:187-199
Baker, Mariah R; Fan, Guizhen; Serysheva, Irina I (2015) Single-particle cryo-EM of the ryanodine receptor channel in an aqueous environment. Eur J Transl Myol 25:35-48

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