The discovery by Elena Grintsevich, Emil Reisler, and their collaborators from the University of Texas, was recently featured in Nature Cell Biology.
Numerous cellular functions depend on actin filament (F-actin) disassembly. Their research uncovered a key link to targeted F-actin disassembly by finding that F-actin is efficiently dismantled through a post-translational-mediated synergism between cofilin and the actin-oxidizing enzyme Mical. This synergism is also necessary and sufficient for F-actin disassembly in vivo, magnifying the effects of both Mical and cofilin on cellular remodelling, axon guidance and Semaphorin–Plexin repulsive signaling.
Dr. Grintsevich is a staff researcher in the group of Prof. Reisler, a renowned biochemist whose work explores the structure and function of proteins at the molecular level.
University of Texas Southwestern neuroscience professor Jonathan Terman and members of his group collaborated on the research and are co-authors of the paper.
The paper titled “F-actin dismantling through a redox-driven synergy between Mical and cofilin” was published August 2016 issue of Nature Cell Biology.
A model of Mical and cofilin disrupting the actin cytoskeleton and F-actin.
To learn more about Reisler’s research visit his website.