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@ARTICLE{Head:19042,
author = {Head, D.A. and Briels, W.J. and Gompper, G.},
title = {{S}pindles and active vortices in a model of confined
filament-motor mixtures},
journal = {BMC Biophysics},
volume = {4},
issn = {2046-1682},
address = {London},
publisher = {BioMed Central},
reportid = {PreJuSER-19042},
year = {2011},
note = {Financial support of this project by the European Network
of Excellence "SoftComp" through a joint postdoctoral
fellowship for DAH is gratefully acknowledged.},
abstract = {Robust self-organization of subcellular structures is a key
principle governing the dynamics and evolution of cellular
life. In fission yeast cells undergoing division, the
mitotic spindle spontaneously emerges from the interaction
of microtubules, motor proteins and the confining cell
walls, and asters and vortices have been observed to
self-assemble in quasi-two dimensional microtubule-kinesin
assays. There is no clear microscopic picture of the role of
the active motors driving this pattern formation, and the
relevance of continuum modeling to filament-scale structures
remains uncertain.Here we present results of numerical
simulations of a discrete filament-motor protein model
confined to a pressurised cylindrical box. Stable spindles,
nematic configurations, asters and high-density semi-asters
spontaneously emerge, the latter pair having also been
observed in cytosol confined within emulsion droplets. State
diagrams are presented delineating each stationary state as
the pressure, motor speed and motor density are varied. We
further highlight a parameter regime where vortices form
exhibiting collective rotation of all filaments, but have a
finite life-time before contracting to a semi-aster.
Quantifying the distribution of life-times suggests this
contraction is a Poisson process. Equivalent systems with
fixed volume exhibit persistent vortices with stochastic
switching in the direction of rotation, with switching times
obeying similar statistics to contraction times in
pressurised systems. Furthermore, we show that increasing
the detachment rate of motors from filament plus-ends can
both destroy vortices and turn some asters into vortices.We
have shown that discrete filament-motor protein models
provide new insights into the stationary and dynamical
behavior of active gels and subcellular structures, because
many phenomena occur on the length-scale of single
filaments. Based on our findings, we argue the need for a
deeper understanding of the microscopic activities
underpinning macroscopic self-organization in active gels
and urge further experiments to help bridge these lengths.},
keywords = {J (WoSType)},
cin = {IAS-2 / ICS-2},
ddc = {570},
cid = {I:(DE-Juel1)IAS-2-20090406 / I:(DE-Juel1)ICS-2-20110106},
pnm = {BioSoft: Makromolekulare Systeme und biologische
Informationsverarbeitung},
pid = {G:(DE-Juel1)FUEK505},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)16},
pubmed = {pmid:22087580},
pmc = {pmc:PMC3253673},
UT = {WOS:000299412000001},
doi = {10.1186/2046-1682-4-18},
url = {https://juser.fz-juelich.de/record/19042},
}