A biochemical network controlling basal myosin oscillation

Abstract

The actomyosin cytoskeleton is known to spontaneously oscillate in many systems but the mechanism of this behavior is not clear. Here Qin et al. define a signaling network involving a ROCK-dependent self-activation loop and recruitment of myosin II to the cortex, followed by a local accumulation of myosin phosphatase that shuts off the signal.