300898 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Appendicular Skeleton, Glucan, Cytoskeleton
Document Summary
Septins are a group of the highly conserved gtp binding proteins found in eukaryotes. Therefore, septins can be considered part of the cytoskeleton. The function of septins in cells include serving as a localized attachment site for other proteins, and preventing the diffusions of certain molecules from one cell compartment to another. In yeast cells, they build scaffolding to provide structural support during cell division and compartmentalize parts of the cell. Recent research in human cells suggests that septins build cages around bacterial pathogens, immobilizing the harmful microbes and preventing them from invading other cells. Spectrin is a cytoskeletal protein that lines the intracellular side of the plasma membrane in eukaryotic cells. Spectrin forms pentagonal or hexagonal arrangements, forming a scaffolding and playing an important role in maintenance of plasma membrane integrity and cytoskeletal structure. In budding yeast (an important model organisms), actin forms cortical patches, actin cables, and a cytokinetic ring and the cap.
