Auditory hair cells, which convert sound-induced vibrations in the inner ear into neural signals, depend on multiple actin populations for normal function. Stereocilia are mechanosensory protrusions formed around a core of linear, crosslinked F-actin. They are anchored in the cuticular plate, which predominantly consists of randomly oriented actin filaments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCytoplasmic β- and γ-actin proteins are 99% identical but support unique organismal functions. The cytoplasmic actin nucleotide sequences and , respectively, are more divergent but still 89% similar. mice are embryonic lethal and cells fail to proliferate, but editing the gene to express γ-actin () resulted in none of the overt phenotypes of the knockout revealing protein-independent functions for .
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