Arp2/3 actin complex structure and dynamics

From the Sept lab: The Arp2/3 complex plays a key role in the process of cell motility. In order for Arp2/3 to branch or nucleate new actin filaments, it must first get activated by proteins of the WASp/Scar family. All WASp/Scar proteins contain a series of domains known as VCA that are responsible for this activation, however the molecular details of how this occurs are not known. The picture at the left shows arp3 (blue), arp2 (pink) and an actin monomer (green) bound with the VCA peptide from N-WASp (orange). This structural model is the result of a combination of molecular dynamics and docking simulations, and it agrees very well with experimental findings.

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