The Features of the Cytoplasmic Actins: Cytoskeletal Structures and Functional Activities

Abstract

Two actin isoforms build the actin cytoskeleton in non-muscle cells: β-and γ-cytoplasmic actins (β- and γ-actins), encoded by ACTB and ACTG1 genes respectively. They are ubiquitously expressed in the different cells in vivo and in vitro, and the b/γ-actin ratio depends on the cell type. Cytoplasmic actins are both essential for the cell survival, but they perform various functions in the interphase and during cell division, as well as they play different roles in neoplastic transformation. In this review, we briefly summarize the research results of recent years and describe the features of the cytoplasmic actins: spatial organization in close connection with their functional activity during the cell cycle.