Elastic Filaments Of The Cell

Elastic filaments refer mainly to titin, the largest of all known proteins. Titin was discovered initially in muscle cells, where it interconnects the thick filament with the Z-line. Titin forms a molecular spring that is responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of contracting muscle, ensuring efficient muscle contraction. More recently, it has become clear that titin is not restricted to muscle cells alone. For example, titin is found in chromosomes of neurons and also in blood platelets. This topic is fast becoming a focal point for research in understanding viscoelastic properties at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. In titin may lie a generic basis for biological viscoelasticity. It has become clear that titin may hold the key to certain clinical anomalies. For example, it is clear that titin-based ventricular stiffness is modulated by calcium and that titin is responsible for the altered stiffness in cardiomyopathies. It is also clear from evidence from a group of Finnish families that titin mutations may underlie some muscular dystrophies and that with other mutations chromatids fail to separate during mitosis. Thus, it is clear that this protein will have important clinical implications stemming from its biomechanical role. One aspect of this field is the bringing together of bioengineers with clinical researchers and biologists. Genetic and biochemical aspects of titin-related proteins are being studied together with front-line engineering approaches designed to measure the mechanics of titin either in small aggregates or in single molecules.

A Top 25 CHOICE 2016 Title, and recipient of the CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title (OAT) Award. How much energy is released in ATP hydrolysis? How many mRNAs are in a cell? How genetically similar are two random people? What is faster, transcription or translation?Cell Biology by the Numbers explores these questions and dozens of others provid

Defines the current status of research in the genetics, anatomy, and development of the nematode C. elegans, providing a detailed molecular explanation of how development is regulated and how the nervous system specifies varied aspects of behavior. Contains sections on the genome, development, neural networks and behavior, and life history and evolution. Appendices offer genetic nomenclature, a list of laboratory strain and allele designations, skeleton genetic maps, a list of characterized genes, a table of neurotransmitter assignments for specific neurons, and information on codon usage. Includes bandw photos. For researchers in worm studies, as well as the wider community of researchers in cell and molecular biology. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Methods for Obtaining X-Ray Diffraction Patterns from Drosophila 198 Diffraction Patterns from Drosophila IFM 203 Concluding Remarks 211 Note Added in Proof 211 17. Functional and Ecological Effects of Isoform Variation in Insect Flight Muscle 214 James H. Marden Abstract 214 Introduction 215 Nature's Versatile Engine 215 The Underlying Genetics: An Underinflated Genome and a Hyperinflated Transcriptome and Proteome 216 Functional Effects of Isoform Variation 219 Alternative Splicing and the Generation of Combinatorial Complexity 220 Functional Consequences of Naturally Occurring Isoform Variation 220 18. Muscle Systems Design and Integration 230 Fritz- OlafLehmann Abstract 230 Power Requirements for Flight 230 Power Reduction 233 Power Constraints on Steering Capacity 234 Balancing Power and Control 236 Changes in Muscle Efficiency in Vivo 238 Concluding Remarks 239 From the Inside Out 19. Molecular Assays for Acto-Myosin Interactions 242 John C. Sparrow and Michael A. Geeves Abstract 242 Introduction 242 Myosin Purification and Preparation of the SI Fragment 243 Purification of Flight Muscle Actin 244 Assays of Myosin and Acto-Myosin 244 Major Conclusions Relating to the Enzymatic Properties of Insect Flight Muscle Acto-Myosin 247 Major Questions about Insect Flight Muscle Acto-Myosin Kinetics That Remain 249 20.

A representative cross-section of elastic biomolecules is covered in this volume, which combines seventeen contributions from leading research groups. State-of-the-art molecular mechanics experiments are described dealing with the elasticity of DNA and nucleoprotein complexes, titin and titin-like proteins in muscle, as well as proteins of the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix. The book speaks particularly to cell biologists, biophysicists, or bioengineers, and to senior researchers and graduate students alike, who are interested in recent advances in single-molecule technology (optical tweezers technique, atomic force microscopy), EM imaging, and computer simulation approaches to study nanobiomechanics. The findings discussed here have redefined our view of the role mechanical signals play in cellular functions and have greatly helped improve our understanding of biological elasticity in general.

New edition exploring the mechanical features of biological cells for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in physics and biomedical engineering.