Question

1) So after reading about actin filaments and how they can play a key role in animal cells such as crawling, engulfing particles, or diving in two, I had a question on whether or not actin filaments can have the same roles in other cells (plant, yeast, etc.) and if so how are they similar to that of actin filaments in animal cells??

2) Eukaryotic cells have a large complex cytoskeleton. Especially in animal cells, they are very large why is this? What is the difference between animal and bacteria cells that depend on the eukaryotic cytoskeleton?

Answer 1

1.Ans : Yes the actin filaments have almost the same roles in other cells like plant and Yeast cells etc.

In Plant actin plays a crucial role in cytoskeleton since it is a major component in it. Filamentous actin (F?actin) helps in maintenance of the cell structure, movement of cell organelles with in the cytosol and also in cell division. The plant actin has many similarities to that of the animal and yeast cells but it has its own molecular mechanisms in organizing actin filaments.In plant cell F?actin specifically tracks for myosin molecular motors to transport organelles at high velocities and also involves in specific stages of vesicle trafficking which supports cell growth and development.

In Yeast actin is an essential protein in functions like cell polarity, cytokinesis and endocytosis similar to the plant and animal cells.

2 Ans : Eukaryotic cells have a large complex cytoskeleton when compared to Prokaryotic calls especially, especially in animal cells, they are very large because the eukaryotic cells have no cell wall like prokaryotic cells, So the structure of all the eukaryotic cells are maintained by cytoskeleton and it also serves many purposes of the cell like endocytosis, cell division and cell signaling. The cytoskeleton in eukaryotic cells were made up of tubulin, actin and intermediate filaments

Whereas in prokaryotic cells the cytoskeleton in made up of components such as FtsZ, MreB and Crescentin and plays important role in cell division and polarity of the cell.

The necessity of cytoskeleton in for eukaryotic cells is more when compared to prokaryotic cells. Hence eukaryotic cells have a large complex cytoskeleton.