Thomas Litschel
@litschel.bsky.social
Currently post-doc at Harvard with David Weitz | PhD at MPIB with Petra Schwille
Interested in the cytoskeleton and membranes
Interested in the cytoskeleton and membranes
We also see this effect with a bacterial actin homolog, ParM …which can lead to more fun patterns. [4/5]
July 12, 2025 at 7:32 PM
We also see this effect with a bacterial actin homolog, ParM …which can lead to more fun patterns. [4/5]
This happens with all labeled actins we tried, but even with unlabeled actin, if we add free fluorophores to our experiments. [3/5]
July 12, 2025 at 7:32 PM
This happens with all labeled actins we tried, but even with unlabeled actin, if we add free fluorophores to our experiments. [3/5]
The mechanism is surprisingly simple: excited fluorophores create ROS, which sever filaments via oxidation, resulting in more filaments. Because actin polymerization is nucleation-limited, more filaments = more polymerization. [2/5]
July 12, 2025 at 7:32 PM
The mechanism is surprisingly simple: excited fluorophores create ROS, which sever filaments via oxidation, resulting in more filaments. Because actin polymerization is nucleation-limited, more filaments = more polymerization. [2/5]
Just posted our new preprint on controlling actin polymerization via light / ROS. doi.org/10.1101/2025...
We found that just the light from time-lapse imaging can increase actin polymerization by many fold. But we can also use this to print patterns! [1/5]
We found that just the light from time-lapse imaging can increase actin polymerization by many fold. But we can also use this to print patterns! [1/5]
July 12, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Just posted our new preprint on controlling actin polymerization via light / ROS. doi.org/10.1101/2025...
We found that just the light from time-lapse imaging can increase actin polymerization by many fold. But we can also use this to print patterns! [1/5]
We found that just the light from time-lapse imaging can increase actin polymerization by many fold. But we can also use this to print patterns! [1/5]