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<p style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color: black;">Dear enthusiasts of the SLAAM seminars,</span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></font></p>
<div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; margin: 0px; color: rgb(36, 36, 36); background-color: white;">
<font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin: 0px; color: black;">We are excit</span><span class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin: 0px; color: black;">ed to annou</span><span class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin: 0px; color: black;">nce
that the next </span><span class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin: 0px; color: black;"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__physics.ucmerced.edu_slaam&d=DwMF-g&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=6T170XR90Za4-nl9r1e8-WfEJbvH5g5hJbA9UumqfWQ&m=blUGUqAYGAyOmfcA6wfbX1KdEHN6f7rlZXR4X15CvyI8uL__ETi299NvZD96qFU6&s=MXUKX4H_djd0Ct_0kzRBhKPqez6-ARSHV2ymcIgm0vs&e=" data-auth="NotApplicable" title="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fphysics.ucmerced.edu%2Fslaam&data=05%7C01%7Cd.a.beller%40jhu.edu%7C5afa44fcce434f0efed608db0463b5d6%7C9fa4f438b1e6473b803f86f8aedf0dec%7C0%7C0%7C638108599445499851%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8e" class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0 OWAAutoLink" style="margin: 0px; color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" id="OWA419bd039-079a-2173-d069-61e68495d033" data-loopstyle="linkonly"><span style="margin:0px">Soft
Living Active and Adaptive Matter (SLAAM)</span></a><span class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin:0px"> </span>seminar will be given by <b class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0">Dr. </b></span><b>Mengqi</b><span class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin: 0px; color: black;"><b class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0">
Xu<span class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin:0px"> </span></b>(</span></font><font size="2">University of Pennsylvania</font><font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin: 0px; color: black;">) on <b class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0">Monday,
October 9th,<span class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin:0px"> </span></b>at <b class="x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0">9am Pacific/11am Central/12 noon Eastern time (US)</b>, with the title:</span></font></div>
<font size="2"><span style="color: rgb(36, 36, 36);"></span><span></span></font>
<p class="x_gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="font-variant-caps:normal; text-align:start; word-spacing:0px">
<font size="2"><b><span style="color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">“</span><span style="color: black;"></span></b></font><b>Myosin-I facilitates symmetry breaking and promotes the growth of actin comet tails</b><font size="2"><b><span style="color: black;">”</span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color: black;">Please join at the link below to attend:</span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span style="color: black;"><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__ucmerced.zoom.us_j_92693607475-3Fpwd-3DTnI5dDhRRnYvejNZK2xNN0s4M0R5UT09&d=DwMF-g&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=6T170XR90Za4-nl9r1e8-WfEJbvH5g5hJbA9UumqfWQ&m=O8qMRgNKyoPvtsVZg8ZfBNtLCUDyJgxTRW3qBCkxor7FWyzclXdrZHLsUUJnajQo&s=Fc0LF7BKeY-N8RWCA1JZPtXHGcs7LT8bWaOKdgeG1FE&e=" data-auth="NotApplicable" title="https://ucmerced.zoom.us/j/92693607475?pwd=TnI5dDhRRnYvejNZK2xNN0s4M0R5UT09" id="OWAdfe8a0ae-4331-b7f1-d3c2-7879e428704f" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly">https://ucmerced.zoom.us/j/92693607475?pwd=TnI5dDhRRnYvejNZK2xNN0s4M0R5UT09</a></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color: black;">Zoom Meeting ID: 926 9360 7475 | Passcode: 223642</span></span></font></p>
<p class="x_gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="font-variant-caps:normal; text-align:start; word-spacing:0px">
<font size="2"><span style="color: black;">As usual, there will be a 15 min informal Q&A at the end of the hour. Graduate students will have an opportunity to interact with the speaker in an informal setting during the "Meet the speaker" timeslot just after
the talk. Please join if the time works for you.<span class="x_gmail-x_apple-converted-space">
<br>
</span></span></font></p>
<p class="x_gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="font-variant-caps:normal; text-align:start; word-spacing:0px">
<font size="2"><i><span style="color: black;">We recognize that this seminar takes place on Indigenous Peoples’ Day and that some members of our audience may be observing the holiday to honor and celebrate Native American peoples. For anyone who is unable to
attend the talk synchronously, a recording will be posted to <a href="https://physics.ucmerced.edu/slaam" data-auth="NotApplicable" title="https://physics.ucmerced.edu/slaam" id="OWAb7633836-ecb6-7c04-281c-060eabc0821f" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly"><span style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);">https://physics.ucmerced.edu/slaam</span></a> in
the near future.</span><span style="color: black;"></span></i><span style="color: black;"><br>
</span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span style="color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">Please see more info in the flyer<span class="x_gmail-x_apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://physics.ucmerced.edu/sites/physics.ucmerced.edu/files/page/documents/mengqi_slaam.pdf" data-auth="NotApplicable" title="https://physics.ucmerced.edu/sites/physics.ucmerced.edu/files/documents/pintu_patra_slaam87.pdf" id="OWAbb200601-ecec-ccc6-2ca4-df2ba776ca09" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly">here</a><span class="x_gmail-x_apple-converted-space"> </span>and
in the text below:</span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span style="color: rgb(36, 36, 36);"> </span></font></p>
<p class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted01" style="background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><b><span style="color: black;">Abstract</span></b></span><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color: black;">:
</span></span>Actin and myosin are molecular machines that convert free energy released from ATP hydrolysis into mechanical force. Polymerizing actin networks provide pushing force for a variety of cellular processes including cell motility, endocytosis and
phagocytosis. Myosin-Is, as single-headed, membrane associated motors of the myosin superfamily, are commonly found alongside Arp2/3-medicated branched actin network at membrane interfaces, where they participate in actin organization and force generation.
However, the fundamental question of ‘how do forces generated by myosin-I motor activity couple with actin assembly for force generation?’ remains unresolved. To investigate the role of myosin-I in actin-mediated force generation, we reconstituted an in-vitro
actin-based motility system. In this system, branched actin networks were nucleated by Arp2/3 complex from a micron-sized bead surface coated with Arp2/3 activating factors. Initially, actin filaments formed a symmetric shell around the bead, which then transitioned
into a polarized comet tail after symmetry breaking, propelling the bead forward. We site-specifically coupled a range of densities of myosin-Is to the bead surface and assessed their<br>
effects on actin polymerization, network architecture, and symmetry breaking. We found that myosin-Is promoted force generation by regulating the dynamics and architecture of the actin comet tails through its force-generating power strokes, applying an effective
repulsive force from the surface. These studies suggest synergy between myosin-I activity and branched actin assembly to drive morphological changes at the cell membrane.<span style="color: rgb(36, 36, 36);">
<br>
</span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><b><span style="color: black;">Speaker bio</span></b></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2">Dr. Xu is a postdoctoral researcher working with Prof. Michael Ostap at University of Pennsylvania, Perelman Medical School, Muscle Institute, studying cytoskeleton and molecular motors. She received her PhD in Physics with Prof. Jennifer Ross
at Syracuse University, where she investigated the enhanced diffusion of active enzymes and built enzyme-powered micro-robots using DNA origami.</font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white;"><font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color: black;">See you there! </span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color: black;"> </span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color: black;">Best regards,</span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color: black;">Suraj Shankar<br>
</span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color: black;">on behalf of the SLAAM organizing team</span></span><span style="color: black;"><br aria-hidden="true">
<span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0">(Alexandra Tayar, Suraj Shankar, Daniel Beller, Kinjal Dasbiswas)</span></span></font></p>
<p style="margin: 0in; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; text-align: start; word-spacing: 0px;">
<font size="2"><span class="x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><i><span style="color: black;">To join the SLAAM mailing list, please sign up <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__docs.google.com_forms_d_e_1FAIpQLScTyzEuuE7TfrrapgP4tzN-5FoPSqbBhURUxa9-2Dzc8USnY1IPzA_viewform&d=DwMFAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=6T170XR90Za4-nl9r1e8-WfEJbvH5g5hJbA9UumqfWQ&m=NK4EGo1VvrDiYSxdvOUJXgCkEAzTrQzNpQi-P59LZiKL_lMA3briJm9KQh9Y3suN&s=3hc1lEhiJwBLtMEr12Z9K5XtZaVlEfOZKYXGtXCjRDg&e=" data-auth="NotApplicable" title="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__docs.google.com_forms_d_e_1FAIpQLScTyzEuuE7TfrrapgP4tzN-5FoPSqbBhURUxa9-2Dzc8USnY1IPzA_viewform&d=DwMFAw&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=6T170XR90Za4-nl9r1e8-WfEJbvH5g5hJbA9UumqfWQ&m=NK4EGo1VvrDiYSxdvOUJXgCk" id="OWA9c786459-8470-fa04-8136-fd2a5abe420a" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly">here</a>. If
you’re a postdoc interested in giving a SLAAM talk, we invite you to register your interest on that webform.</span></i></span></font></p>
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<span class="x_gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br>
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<div><font size="2">*********************************************************************<br>
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<div><font size="2">Regards,</font></div>
<font size="2">Suraj Shankar (he/him/his)<br>
University of Michigan LSA Collegiate Fellow<br>
</font>
<div><font size="2">Incoming Assistant Professor (Physics), University of Michigan</font></div>
<div><font size="2"><a href="https://surajshankar.com/" data-auth="NotApplicable" id="OWA39990157-9f97-711e-990b-273e6449901d" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly">https://surajshankar.com/</a></font></div>
<div><font size="2"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><br>
</span></font></div>
<div><font size="2"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);">If I send emails outside of standard working hours, I may be working flexibly or in a different time zone. I do not expect a response outside of your working hours.<br>
</span></font></div>
<div><font size="2"><span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br>
</span></font></div>
<div><font size="2">*********************************************************************</font></div>
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