Multiple Choice
If ATP at the minus end is hydrolyzed quickly, what happens to an actin filament?
15. Cytoskeleton and Cell Movement
Actin Filaments
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Which of the following terms describes the addition of monomers at the plus end and the loss of monomers at the minus end?
A
Dynamic instability
B
Treadmilling
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the concept of 'treadmilling' in the context of cytoskeletal filaments such as actin filaments and microtubules.
Recognize that treadmilling is a dynamic process where there is a net addition of subunits (monomers) at one end of a filament (the plus end) and a net loss at the opposite end (the minus end).
Differentiate treadmilling from 'dynamic instability,' which involves rapid growth and shrinkage at the plus end of microtubules, not simultaneous addition and loss at opposite ends.
Visualize the process: imagine a conveyor belt where new monomers are added at the front (plus end) and removed from the back (minus end), maintaining a constant length.
Apply this understanding to identify treadmilling as the correct term describing the simultaneous addition and loss of monomers at opposite ends of a filament.
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