Issue 27, 2020

Anomalous and heterogeneous DNA transport in biomimetic cytoskeleton networks

Abstract

The cytoskeleton, a complex network of protein filaments and crosslinking proteins, dictates diverse cellular processes ranging from division to cargo transport. Yet, the role the cytoskeleton plays in the intracellular transport of DNA and other macromolecules remains poorly understood. Here, using single-molecule conformational tracking, we measure the transport and conformational dynamics of linear and relaxed circular (ring) DNA in composite networks of actin and microtubules with variable types of crosslinking. While both linear and ring DNA undergo anomalous, non-Gaussian, and non-ergodic subdiffusion, the detailed dynamics are controlled by both DNA topology (linear vs. ring) and crosslinking motif. Ring DNA swells, exhibiting heterogeneous subdiffusion controlled via threading by cytoskeleton filaments, while linear DNA compacts, exhibiting transport via caging and hopping. Importantly, while the crosslinking motif has little effect on ring DNA, linear DNA in networks with actin–microtubule crosslinking is significantly less ergodic and shows more heterogeneous transport than with actin–actin or microtubule–microtubule crosslinking.

Graphical abstract: Anomalous and heterogeneous DNA transport in biomimetic cytoskeleton networks

Associated articles

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
27 mar. 2020
Accepted
11 jun. 2020
First published
12 jun. 2020

Soft Matter, 2020,16, 6344-6353

Anomalous and heterogeneous DNA transport in biomimetic cytoskeleton networks

J. Garamella, K. Regan, G. Aguirre, R. J. McGorty and R. M. Robertson-Anderson, Soft Matter, 2020, 16, 6344 DOI: 10.1039/D0SM00544D

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