Long polymer chains dance the conga: new model of motion of molecules that give cells structure
Tuesday, April 20, 2010 - 22:40
in Physics & Chemistry
Researchers have demonstrated a new model for the motion of actin filaments, the molecules that give a cell its structure. Researchers have long assumed that actin filaments could move anywhere within a confined cylinder of space, like a snake slithering through a pipe. However, this study shows that a filament moves more like a conga line on a crowded dance floor: sometimes it's a tight squeeze.