Myosin-driven advection and actin reorganization control the geometry of confined actomyosin gel
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2025
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| _version_ | 1866915272557854720 |
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| author | Negi, Archit Sakamoto, Ryota Miyazaki, Makito Maeda, Yusuke T. |
| author_facet | Negi, Archit Sakamoto, Ryota Miyazaki, Makito Maeda, Yusuke T. |
| contents | Harnessing nanoscale motor proteins to actively control material shape is a promising strategy in nanotechnology and material science. One notable system is the actomyosin network, composed of actin filaments and myosin motor proteins, providing a natural platform for constructing contractile, shape-adaptive materials. While the role of actomyosin in shaping cells has been extensively studied, the reverse question - how boundary shape affects the actomyosin system - remains poorly understood. Here, we present a microfabricated system that reveals how geometrical confinement directs the organization of actomyosin networks within microwells. By combining experimental and numerical analysis, we show that the asymmetric shape of the microwells is transferred to contracted actomyosin gels via myosin-driven actin flow. Furthermore, tuning myosin contractility and actin polymerization rate allows control over the size and shape of actomyosin gels. Our findings provide a bottom-up framework for integrating molecular motors and cytoskeletons into confined architectures to create responsive biomaterials. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_01717 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Myosin-driven advection and actin reorganization control the geometry of confined actomyosin gel Negi, Archit Sakamoto, Ryota Miyazaki, Makito Maeda, Yusuke T. Soft Condensed Matter Biological Physics Harnessing nanoscale motor proteins to actively control material shape is a promising strategy in nanotechnology and material science. One notable system is the actomyosin network, composed of actin filaments and myosin motor proteins, providing a natural platform for constructing contractile, shape-adaptive materials. While the role of actomyosin in shaping cells has been extensively studied, the reverse question - how boundary shape affects the actomyosin system - remains poorly understood. Here, we present a microfabricated system that reveals how geometrical confinement directs the organization of actomyosin networks within microwells. By combining experimental and numerical analysis, we show that the asymmetric shape of the microwells is transferred to contracted actomyosin gels via myosin-driven actin flow. Furthermore, tuning myosin contractility and actin polymerization rate allows control over the size and shape of actomyosin gels. Our findings provide a bottom-up framework for integrating molecular motors and cytoskeletons into confined architectures to create responsive biomaterials. |
| title | Myosin-driven advection and actin reorganization control the geometry of confined actomyosin gel |
| topic | Soft Condensed Matter Biological Physics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.01717 |