Biomolecules & Cells BIOL10002


Lectures 1-9 Cell Biology


Geoff McFadden, Rm 211 BioSciences
2 (old Botany)





gim@unimelb.edu.au



8344 4272
 Glossary words: endomembrane
system, endoplasmic reticulum (ER),
Golgi apparatus, glycosylation,
cisternae, vesicles, glycoproteins,
cytoskeleton, microtubules actin
microfilaments, intermediate
filaments, actin microtubules, myosin,
dynein, kinesin 



EM of nucleus

Image of a frozen
nucleus cracked
in half
 Pores
• Pores lined with proteins
• Pore attached to lamina (nuclear skeleton)
• Pores evenly spaced over nuclear envelope
• Traffic of proteins and RNAs out of nucleus
• Traffic of proteins and RNAs into nucleus
• Pore is located at site where inner membrane
curls around to become outer membrane
Pores
ER is continuous with
nuclear envelope
 ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM (ER)
the heart of the endomembrane system

• Consists of membrane cisternae that ramify

through the cytoplasm. The result is
internal compartments and channels.
• The ER is a dynamic structure, ever changing
in structure and function.
• If ribosomes are attached to the ER, it is called
ROUGH ER.
• If ribosomes are absent, it is referred to as
SMOOTH ER.
Rough ER vs Smooth ER
Endoplasmic Reticulum
 rough ER
ribosomes attached
 Major functions of
intracellular membranes
1. Provide a surface for biochemical reactions.

2. To establish a number of compartments to

prevent mixing.

3. To provide for transport of materials within the

cell, from the cell to its exterior, or from the cell to
an adjacent cell.
 Golgi complex
• Consists of flattened stacks of membrane
or cisternae called Golgi bodies.
• Collectively, all the Golgi bodies in a cell
are the Golgi complex.
• Golgi bodies are functional extensions of
the ER.
• The Golgi complex functions in the
collection, packaging, and distribution of
molecules synthesised elsewhere in the
cell.
• Almost all the polysaccharide in cells is
manufactured within the Golgi bodies.
• The polysaccharide may be attached to
either protein or lipid molecules in the
Golgi bodies.
Polysaccharides on proteins may be used to
distinguish between cells that are self and
non-self
 Golgi traffic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDoIfWk7EQM
 Endomembrane traffic

http://www.esnips.com/doc/97fc9025-19de-424d-8dbb-fc063be48a04
 THE CYTOSKELETON
• Components of the cytoskeleton are not
composed of membrane.

• Act as a form of scaffolding or as structural

elements within the cytoplasm of cells.

• Cytoskeletal components are associated with

maintaining cell shape.

• Involved in certain cell movements.

 Major elements of the
cytoskeleton
• Actin filaments 7nm (actin protein) -
gelsolin controls filament assembly
• Microtubules (tubulin protein), 13
protofilaments form cylinder (25nm
diameter)
• Intermediate filaments (vimentin
protein) 10nm filament diameter
 Motor elements of the
cytoskeleton
• actin filaments interact with
myosin motors
• microtubules interact with
kinesin or dynein motors
• intermediate filaments are
predominantly static
controlled assembly & disassembly of
actin filaments to alter shape
 Actin assembly & disassembly

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mszlckmc4Hw
 Assembly &
disassembly of actin to
create ameoboid cell
movement

Bacterium
White blood cell
pursuing &
‘neutralizing’ bacterial WBC
invaders
RBC
• Actin filaments
• Interact with myosin motors
• Responsible for
• Muscle contractions
• Cytoplasmic streaming

myosin ‘walking’ on actin filament

Chloroplasts streaming in aquatic
plant
• Microtubules
• tubulin protein forms
protofilament
• 13 protofilaments form cylinder

microtubule assembly from tubulin protein subunits

Microtubules assemble & disassemble
Eukaryotic flagella beat, whereas
prokaryotic flagella rotate
Eukaryotic flagellum consists of
microtubules and dynein motors

algal cell fish sperm

• Dynein can slide one microtubule against another
• Microtubules are fixed at one end → curvature
Longitudinal and
cross sections of
a flagellum at
different points to
show machine-
like structure
Ciliates are unicellular eukaryotes
covered in cilia (short flagella)
Ciliates swimming by waving their cilia (short flagella)
Kinesin can move vesicles along
microtubules
Kinesin can move vesicles along
microtubules
 Using cytoskeletal parts to build nanomachines

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pt53JOXP-GE
 The cytoskeleton

• Actin - myosin drives muscle

contraction cytoplasmic streaming,
microvilli
• Microtubule - kinesin moves vesicles
• Microtubule - dynein drives cilia/
flagella beating
• Intermediate filaments - intra- and
inter-cellular stabilisation