<div dir="ltr"><div id="gmail-x_x_gmail-:2mnx" class="gmail-x_x_gmail-Ar gmail-x_x_gmail-Au gmail-x_x_gmail-Ao" style="display:block"><div id="gmail-x_x_gmail-:2mnn" class="gmail-x_x_gmail-Am gmail-x_x_gmail-Al gmail-x_x_editable gmail-x_x_gmail-LW-avf gmail-x_x_gmail-tS-tW gmail-x_x_gmail-tS-tY" aria-label="Message Body" role="textbox" tabindex="1" style="direction:ltr;min-height:376px"><p style="margin:0in;background:white"><font size="4"><span class="gmail-x_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="4"><span class="gmail-x_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="4"><span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin:0px;color:black">This is a gentle reminder that the next</span><span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin:0px;color:black">  </span><span class="gmail-x_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=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" 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="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0 gmail-x_OWAAutoLink" id="gmail-OWA419bd039-079a-2173-d069-61e68495d033" style="margin:0px;color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="margin:0px">Soft Living Active and Adaptive Matter (SLAAM)</span></a><span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin:0px"> </span>seminar will be given by <b class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0">Dr. </b></span><b>Mengqi</b><span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin:0px;color:black"><b class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0"> Xu<span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin:0px"> </span></b>(</span>University of Pennsylvania<span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin:0px;color:black">) on <b class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0">Monday, October 9th,<span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin:0px"> </span></b>at <b class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0">9am Pacific/11am Central/12 noon Eastern time (US)</b>, with the title:</span></font></div><div style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif;margin:0px;color:rgb(36,36,36);background-color:white"><font size="4"><span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_ContentPasted0" style="margin:0px;color:black"><br></span></font></div><font size="4"><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36)"></span><span></span></font><p class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;word-spacing:0px"><font size="4"><b><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36)">“</span><span style="color:black"></span></b><b>Myosin-I facilitates symmetry breaking and promotes the growth of actin comet tails</b><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="4"><span class="gmail-x_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="4"><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=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="https://ucmerced.zoom.us/j/92693607475?pwd=TnI5dDhRRnYvejNZK2xNN0s4M0R5UT09" id="gmail-OWAdfe8a0ae-4331-b7f1-d3c2-7879e428704f" class="gmail-x_OWAAutoLink">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="4"><span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color:black">Zoom Meeting ID: 926 9360 7475   |   Passcode: 223642</span></span></font></p><p class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;word-spacing:0px"><font size="4"><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="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_apple-converted-space"> <br aria-hidden="true"></span></span></font></p><p class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_MsoNormal" style="font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;word-spacing:0px"><font size="4"><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://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__physics.ucmerced.edu_slaam&d=DwMF-g&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=6T170XR90Za4-nl9r1e8-WfEJbvH5g5hJbA9UumqfWQ&m=LCXsejAroK7pOam_Spv9PLBJsWQzt5rvmxDpZx3c-XyMoyUTKfU29hnpOFNx7Uku&s=FP1SdrAg-vU7sxzT5AJnVf3i6dXhWyvIZoJ4Kl8F2tI&e=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="https://physics.ucmerced.edu/slaam" id="gmail-OWAb7633836-ecb6-7c04-281c-060eabc0821f" class="gmail-x_OWAAutoLink"><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 aria-hidden="true"></span></font></p><p style="margin:0in;background:white;font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;word-spacing:0px"><font size="4"><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36)">Please see more info in the flyer<span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__physics.ucmerced.edu_sites_physics.ucmerced.edu_files_page_documents_mengqi-5Fslaam.pdf&d=DwMF-g&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=6T170XR90Za4-nl9r1e8-WfEJbvH5g5hJbA9UumqfWQ&m=LCXsejAroK7pOam_Spv9PLBJsWQzt5rvmxDpZx3c-XyMoyUTKfU29hnpOFNx7Uku&s=-j_1IMjPYy7Y-bChvvnJM5Owz9nVxON27nd3GOe9Y1M&e=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="https://physics.ucmerced.edu/sites/physics.ucmerced.edu/files/documents/pintu_patra_slaam87.pdf" id="gmail-OWAbb200601-ecec-ccc6-2ca4-df2ba776ca09" class="gmail-x_OWAAutoLink">here</a><span class="gmail-x_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="4"><span style="color:rgb(36,36,36)"> </span></font></p><p class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_contentpasted01" style="background:white;font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;word-spacing:0px"><font size="4"><span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><b><span style="color:black">Abstract</span></b></span><span class="gmail-x_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 aria-hidden="true">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 aria-hidden="true"><p style="margin:0in;background:white;font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;word-spacing:0px"><font size="4"><span style="color:black"> <p style="margin:0in;background:white;font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;word-spacing:0px"><font size="4"><span style="color:black">Speaker bio<p style="margin:0in;background:white;font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;word-spacing:0px"><font size="4">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="4"><span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color:black"> </span></span></font></p><p style="margin:0in;background:white"><font size="4"><span class="gmail-x_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="4"><span class="gmail-x_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="4"><span class="gmail-x_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="4"><span class="gmail-x_x_gmail-x_contentpasted0"><span style="color:black">Suraj Shankar<br aria-hidden="true"></span></span></font></p><p style="margin-bottom:12pt;background:white;font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;word-spacing:0px"><font size="4"><span class="gmail-x_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="gmail-x_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="4"><span class="gmail-x_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=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" 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="gmail-OWA9c786459-8470-fa04-8136-fd2a5abe420a" class="gmail-x_OWAAutoLink">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><font size="2"><br clear="all" aria-hidden="true"><br></font></div></div><br clear="all"><br><span class="gmail_signature_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div>*********************************************************************<br></div><div><br></div><div>Regards,</div>Suraj Shankar (he/him/his)<br>University of Michigan LSA Collegiate Fellow<br><div>Incoming Assistant Professor (Physics), University of Michigan</div><div><a href="https://surajshankar.com/" target="_blank">https://surajshankar.com/</a></div><div><span style="color:rgb(153,153,153)"><br></span></div><div><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></div><div><span style="color:rgb(102,102,102)"><br></span></div><div>*********************************************************************</div></div></div></div>