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Despite the large number of reports attributing the signaling between detached cell cultures to the electromagnetic phenomena, almost no report so far included a rigorous analysis of the possibility of such signaling.In this paper, we examine the physical feasibility of the electromagnetic communication between cells, especially through light, with regard to the ambient noise illumination. We compare theoretically attainable parameters of communication with experimentally obtained data of the photon emission from cells without a specially pronounced ability of bioluminescence.We show that the weak intensity of the emission together with an unfavorable signal-to-noise ratio, which is typical for natural conditions, represent an important obstacle to the signal detection by cells.

This paper describes a proposed biophysical mechanism of a novel diagnostic method for cancer detection developed recently by Vedruccio. The diagnostic method is based on frequency selective absorption of electromagnetic waves by malignant tumors. Cancer is connected with mitochondrial malfunction (the Warburg effect) suggesting disrupted physical mechanisms. In addition to decreased energy conversion and nonutilized energy efflux, mitochondrial malfunction is accompanied by other negative effects in the cell. Diminished proton space charge layer and the static electric field around the outer membrane result in a lowered ordering level of cellular water and increased damping of microtubule-based cellular elastoelectrical vibration states. These changes manifest themselves in a dip in the amplitude of the signal with the fundamental frequency of the nonlinear microwave oscillator-the core of the diagnostic device-when coupled to the investigated cancerous tissue via the near-field. The dip is not present in the case of healthy tissue.

γ-Tubulin is essential for microtubule nucleation and also plays less understood roles in nuclear and cell-cycle-related functions. High abundancy of γ-tubulin in acentrosomal Arabidopsis cells facilitated purification and biochemical characterization of large molecular species of γ-tubulin. TEM, fluorescence, and atomic force microscopy of purified high molecular γ-tubulin forms revealed the presence of linear filaments with a double protofilament substructure, filament bundles and aggregates. Filament formation from highly purified γ-tubulin free of γ-tubulin complex proteins (GCPs) was demonstrated for both plant and human γ-tubulin. Moreover, γ-tubulin associated with porcine brain microtubules formed oligomers. Experimental evidence on the intrinsic ability of γ-tubulin to oligomerize/polymerize was supported by conservation of α- and β-tubulin interfaces for longitudinal and lateral interactions for γ-tubulins. STED (stimulated emission depletion) microscopy of Arabidopsis cells revealed fine, short γ-tubulin fibrillar structures enriched on mitotic microtubular arrays that accumulated at polar regions of acentrosomal spindles and the outer nuclear envelope before mitosis, and were also present in nuclei. Fine fibrillar structures of γ-tubulin representing assemblies of higher order were localized in cell-cycle-dependent manner at sites of dispersed γ-tubulin location in acentrosomal plant cells as well as at sites of local γ-tubulin enrichment after drug treatment. Our findings that γ-tubulin preserves the capability of prokaryotic tubulins to self-organize into filaments assembling by lateral interaction into bundles/clusters help understanding of the relationship between structure and multiple cellular functions of this protein species and suggest that besides microtubule nucleation and organization, γ-tubulin may also have scaffolding or sequestration functions.

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Constriction of the cytokinetic ring, a circular structure of actin filaments, is an essential step during cell division. Mechanical forces driving the constriction are attributed to myosin motor proteins, which slide actin filaments along each other. However, in multiple organisms, ring constriction has been reported to be myosin independent. How actin rings constrict in the absence of motor activity remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that anillin, a non­motor actin crosslinker, indispensable during cytokinesis, autonomously propels the contractility of actin bundles. Anillin generates contractile forces of tens of pico-Newtons to maximise the lengths of overlaps between bundled actin filaments. The contractility is enhanced by actin disassembly. When multiple actin filaments are arranged into a ring, this contractility leads to ring constriction. Our results indicate that passive actin crosslinkers can substitute for the activity of molecular motors to generate contractile forces in a variety of actin networks, including the cytokinetic ring.

The mechanical properties of microtubules are of great importance for understanding their biological function and for applications in artificial devices. Although microtubule mechanics has been extensively studied both theoretically and experimentally, the relation to its molecular structure is understood only partially. Here, we report on the structural analysis of microtubule vibration modes calculated by an atomistic approach. Molecular dynamics was applied to refine the atomic structure of a microtubule and a Cα elastic network model was analyzed for its normal modes. We mapped fluctuations and local deformations up to the level of individual aminoacid residues. The deformation is mode-shape dependent and principally different in α-tubulins and β-tubulins. Parts of the tubulin dimer sequence responding specifically to longitudinal and radial stress are identified. We show that substantial strain within a microtubule is located both in the regions of contact between adjacent dimers and in the body of tubulins. Our results provide supportive evidence for the generally accepted assumption that the mechanics of microtubules, including its anisotropy, is determined by the bonds between tubulins.

The knowledge of mechanisms underlying interactions between biological systems, be they biomacromolecules or living cells, is crucial for understanding physiology, as well as for possible prevention, diagnostics and therapy of pathological states. Apart from known chemical and direct contact electrical signaling pathways, electromagnetic phenomena were proposed by some authors to mediate non-chemical interactions on both intracellular and intercellular levels. Here, we discuss perspectives in the research of nanoscale electromagnetic interactions between biosystems on radiofrequency and microwave wavelengths. Based on our analysis, the main perspectives are in (i) the micro and nanoscale characterization of both passive and active radiofrequency properties of biomacromolecules and cells, (ii) experimental determination of viscous damping of biomacromolecule structural vibrations and (iii) detailed analysis of energetic circumstances of electromagnetic interactions between oscillating polar biomacromolecules. Current cutting-edge nanotechnology and computational techniques start to enable such studies so we can expect new interesting insights into electromagnetic aspects of molecular biophysics of cell signaling.