Hypersensitivity of the vimentin cytoskeleton to net-charge states and Coulomb repulsion.

ABSTRACT: As with most intermediate filament systems, the hierarchical self-assembly of vimentin into nonpolar filaments requires no nucleators or energy input. Utilizing a set of live-cell, single-molecule, and super-resolution microscopy tools, here we show that in mammalian cells, the assembly and disassembly of the vimentin cytoskeleton is highly sensitive to the protein net charge state. Starting with the intriguing observation that the vimentin cytoskeleton fully disassembles under hypotonic stress yet reassembles within seconds upon osmotic pressure recovery, we pinpoint ionic strength as its underlying driving factor. Further modulating the pH and expressing differently charged constructs, we converge on a model in which the vimentin cytoskeleton is destabilized by Coulomb repulsion when its

SUBMITTER: Unger BA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11257561 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature