Spatial integration of mechanical forces by α-actinin establishes actin network symmetry

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Senger, Fabrice | Pitaval, Amandine | Ennomani, Hajer | Kurzawa, Laetitia | Blanchoin, Laurent | Thery, Manuel

Edité par CCSD ; Company of Biologists -

International audience. Cell and tissue morphogenesis depend on the production and spatial organization of tensional forces in the actin cytoskeleton. Actin network architecture is made of distinct modules characterized by specific filament organizations. The assembly of these modules are well described but their integration in a cellular network is less understood. Here we investigated the mechanism regulating the interplay between network architecture and the geometry of cell's extracellular environment. We found that α-actinin, a filament crosslinker, is essential for network symmetry to be consistent with extracellular microenvironment symmetry. It is required for the interconnection of transverse arcs with radial fibres to ensure an appropriate balance between forces at cell adhesions and across the actin network. Furthermore, this connectivity appeared necessary for the cell ability to integrate and to adapt to complex patterns of extracellular cues as they migrate. Our study has unveiled a role of actin-filament crosslinking in the spatial integration of mechanical forces that ensures the adaptation of intracellular symmetry axes in accordance with the geometry of extracellular cues.

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