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A new approach to explore the mechanoresponsiveness of microtubules and its application in studying dynamic soft interfaces

Polymer Journal volume 53, pages 299–308 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Mechanical forces play indispensable roles in biological processes in living organisms. Cells in living organisms sense and process mechanical information that is critical to their growth, motility, and other physiological functions. The cytoskeleton has a significant contribution to the mechanotransduction and mechanoregulation of cellular events, in which microtubules (MTs) play pivotal roles as the most rigid component of the cytoskeleton. However, the response of MTs to mechanical forces has remained elusive for a long time. In recent years, we have started to understand the details of how MTs respond to any mechanical cue and how the structural stability and functionality of MTs are affected by mechanical forces. In this review article, the latest progress in the study of the mechanoresponsiveness of MTs is discussed. A novel methodology is emphasized that recently enabled systematic exploration of the mechanical deformation of MTs under tensile and compressive forces. Moreover, the newest outcomes that confirmed the impact of mechanical forces on the functionalities of MTs are also discussed. All this recent progress is expected to advance our current understanding of the mechanical deformation of MTs in cells and its roles in the mechanoregulation of cellular processes.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) to AMRK (JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP16K16383); a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas “Molecular Engine” (JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP18H05423), and a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) (JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP18H03673) to AK from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS); and a research grant from the Hirose International Scholarship Foundation to AMRK (PK22181027).

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  1. Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan

    Arif Md. Rashedul Kabir & Akira Kakugo

  2. Graduate School of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan

    Akira Kakugo

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  1. Arif Md. Rashedul Kabir
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Correspondence to Arif Md. Rashedul Kabir.

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Kabir, A.M.R., Kakugo, A. A new approach to explore the mechanoresponsiveness of microtubules and its application in studying dynamic soft interfaces. Polym J 53, 299–308 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41428-020-00415-5

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