Leiomodin2 is a polymerase at the pointed ends of actin filaments.

Pollard, Thomas D · Nat Commun · 2026

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Biophysical and structural studies have found that leiomodin 2, a protein discovered in muscle cells, is the first example of a molecule that promotes the elongation of actin filaments at their slowly growing “pointed ends.” This breakthrough will stimulate work to answer many puzzling questions about the mechanism of this process.