2025/09/10 by Simon Wieland, Christina N. Steininger, David Gitschier +7 · 1 voice
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Micro and Nano Robotics #Microtubule and mitosis dynamics #Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation
paper · doi:10.1016/j.bpj.2025.09.012
openalex publication_date 2025/09/10 · openalex created_date 2025/09/11 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
for phagosomes of all sizes. To confirm the need for many dynein motors to generate such high forces, we labeled and quantified dynein on isolated phagosomes. We found up to 250 dyneins on the largest phagosomes and a dynein surface density that was independent of the phagosome size. We connected the dynein numbers and transport forces with a theoretical model of the microtubule distribution around the organelles. The model implies that, because larger organelles displace and bend the microtubules, disproportionately large numbers of dyneins can be active and contribute to the high transport forces of large phagosomes. Our results indicate that, during the transport of large organelles, many dyneins interact with multiple microtubules in a cargo-size-dependent manner to achieve sufficiently large transport forces.