A. R. Dunn

Structure of the Thin Filament in Human iPSC-derived Cardiomyocytes and its Response to Heart Disease

This study uses cryo-ET to analyze the structure of thin filaments in human iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and how they change with disease-related perturbations.

PDZ Domains from the Junctional Proteins Afadin and ZO-1 Act as Mechanosensors

This study shows that PDZ domains from afadin and ZO-1 act as mechanosensors, forming catch bonds or weakening under mechanical force, affecting cell-cell adhesion stability.

Extracellular filaments revealed by affinity capture cryo-electron tomography of lymphocytes

This study demonstrates an affinity capture method for preparing T-cells and Jurkat cells for cryo-ET, revealing extracellular filamentous structures and improving workflow efficiency.

Piconewton forces mediate GAIN domain dissociation of the latrophilin-3 adhesion GPCR

This study shows that physiological forces accelerate GAIN domain dissociation of latrophilin-3, suggesting mechanical force drives aGPCR signaling during synapse formation.

Wildebeest Herds on Rolling Hills: Flocking on Arbitrary Curved Surfaces

This paper extends the Toner-Tu flocking theory to arbitrary curved surfaces using finite element methods, enabling analysis of collective motion in complex geometries.

Emergent Actin Flows Explain Diverse Parasite Gliding Modes

This study uses single-molecule imaging and modeling to show that F-actin flows in parasites self-organize to produce diverse gliding motility modes.

Multi-level force-dependent allosteric enhancement of αE-catenin binding to F-actin by vinculin

This study investigates how multiple cadherin-catenin complexes interact with F-actin under force and how vinculin enhances this interaction, revealing cooperative mechanisms that strengthen cell-cell junctions.

Mechanism of the cadherin-catenin F-actin catch bond interaction

This study identifies the E-cadherin/{beta}-catenin/E-catenin complex's catch bond mechanism with F-actin, showing the ABD's role in force-dependent binding and its impact on cytoskeletal linkages.

STReTCh: a strategy for facile detection of mechanical forces across proteins in cells

The paper introduces STReTCh, a molecular tension sensor for measuring mechanical forces in cells, validated through magnetic tweezers and applied to study forces at integrin adhesions and in vinculin.

The membrane-actin linker ezrin acts as a sliding anchor

This study investigates how ezrin, a membrane-actin linker, forms a sliding complex that resists mechanical detachment while moving along F-actin.

The C-terminal actin binding domain of talin forms an asymmetric catch bond with F-actin

This study shows that the C-terminal actin binding domain of talin forms an asymmetric catch bond with F-actin under mechanical load, supporting a mechanism for focal adhesion formation.

Lattice micropatterning for cryo-electron tomography studies of cell-cell contacts

This study uses lattice micropatterning to improve the positioning of endothelial cells on EM grids, enabling more efficient cryo-electron tomography of cell-cell contacts.

Extraction of accurate cytoskeletal actin velocity distributions from noisy measurements

The paper develops a Bayesian method to estimate accurate actin filament velocity distributions from noisy single-molecule tracking data and finds they follow a statistical jump process.

3D Microwell Platforms for Control of Single Cell 3D Geometry and Intracellular Organization

This study develops 3D microwell platforms to investigate how 2D and 3D geometries affect single-cell F-actin and nuclear organization in C2C12 myoblasts.

Physical basis of lumen shape and stability in a simple epithelium

This study investigates the physical mechanisms of lumen formation in MDCK cell spheroids, finding that lumen shape and stability arise from geometrical factors and apico-basal polarity rather than hydrostatic pressure or actomyosin cytoskeleton.

Limited Dishevelled/Axin oligomerization determines efficiency of Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction

The paper shows that Dvl and Axin oligomerization dynamics regulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling efficiency by controlling β-catenin phosphorylation inhibition.

Myosin-II mediated traction forces evoke localized Piezo1 Ca2+ flickers

The paper shows that Myosin-II mediated traction forces cause localized Piezo1 Ca2+ flickers in cells without external forces.

Myosin II Tension Sensors Visualize Force Generation within the Actin Cytoskeleton in Living Cells

The paper introduces a FRET-based tension sensor to measure forces generated by NMIIB in living cells, revealing spatial and temporal heterogeneity in cytoskeletal forces.

Regulation and dynamics of force transmission at individual cell-matrix adhesion bonds

The paper uses fluorescent molecular tension sensors to study force transmission by integrins in living cells, revealing functional modularity and a revised model for mechanical homeostasis.