One of the most fascinating micron-scale structures in the biological world is the cell cytoskele- ton, with numerous components of different sizes, shapes, and geometries working together. How the local interactions of these macromolecules and polymers in nano-scale help self- organize into this higher-order micron-scale structure remains an open question in the field of biophysics. In this thesis, via a minimal two-protein in vitro system containing cytoskeletal fiber microtubule and associated protein MAP65, I try to address self-organization through passive entropic force mechanisms. I use techniques like protein purification, light microscopy, and image analysis to quantify my results. First, I show how crowded environments contribute to microtubule nucleation, polymerization, and bundling via experiments and simulations. Next, I discuss a self-assembled limited-size microtubule bundle that is reminiscent of the mitotic spindle. I characterize these 'tactoids' and show that these are homogeneous and jammed inside. Lastly, I present results of the MAP65 condensate formation via liquid-liquid phase separation and quantification of their properties. Additionally, I elucidate a mechanism of non-centrosomal microtubule nucleation that may play an essential role in the mitotic spindle.
","abstract_html":"<p>One of the most fascinating micron-scale structures in the biological world is the cell cytoskele- ton, with numerous components of different sizes, shapes, and geometries working together. How the local interactions of these macromolecules and polymers in nano-scale help self- organize into this higher-order micron-scale structure remains an open question in the field of biophysics. In this thesis, via a minimal two-protein in vitro system containing cytoskeletal fiber microtubule and associated protein MAP65, I try to address self-organization through passive entropic force mechanisms. I use techniques like protein purification, light microscopy, and image analysis to quantify my results. First, I show how crowded environments contribute to microtubule nucleation, polymerization, and bundling via experiments and simulations. Next, I discuss a self-assembled limited-size microtubule bundle that is reminiscent of the mitotic spindle. I characterize these 'tactoids' and show that these are homogeneous and jammed inside. Lastly, I present results of the MAP65 condensate formation via liquid-liquid phase separation and quantification of their properties. Additionally, I elucidate a mechanism of non-centrosomal microtubule nucleation that may play an essential role in the mitotic spindle.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sahu, Sumon"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Physics","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Ross, Jennifer L."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-05-15T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2022-05-15T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:56:04Z","subjects":["Asters","LLPS","MAP65","Microtubule","Tactoids","Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology","Biophysics","Life Sciences"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://surface.syr.edu/etd/1384","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Ross, Jennifer L."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Sahu, Sumon"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Physics"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Asters","LLPS","MAP65","Microtubule","Tactoids","Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology","Biophysics","Life Sciences"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://surface.syr.edu/etd/1384"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["One of the most fascinating micron-scale structures in the biological world is the cell cytoskele- ton, with numerous components of different sizes, shapes, and geometries working together. How the local interactions of these macromolecules and polymers in nano-scale help self- organize into this higher-order micron-scale structure remains an open question in the field of biophysics. In this thesis, via a minimal two-protein in vitro system containing cytoskeletal fiber microtubule and associated protein MAP65, I try to address self-organization through passive entropic force mechanisms. I use techniques like protein purification, light microscopy, and image analysis to quantify my results. First, I show how crowded environments contribute to microtubule nucleation, polymerization, and bundling via experiments and simulations. Next, I discuss a self-assembled limited-size microtubule bundle that is reminiscent of the mitotic spindle. I characterize these 'tactoids' and show that these are homogeneous and jammed inside. Lastly, I present results of the MAP65 condensate formation via liquid-liquid phase separation and quantification of their properties. Additionally, I elucidate a mechanism of non-centrosomal microtubule nucleation that may play an essential role in the mitotic spindle.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Self-organization of Microtubule and Associated Protein Map65"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Ross, Jennifer L."],"dc:creator":["Sahu, Sumon"],"dc:description.abstract":["One of the most fascinating micron-scale structures in the biological world is the cell cytoskele- ton, with numerous components of different sizes, shapes, and geometries working together. How the local interactions of these macromolecules and polymers in nano-scale help self- organize into this higher-order micron-scale structure remains an open question in the field of biophysics. In this thesis, via a minimal two-protein in vitro system containing cytoskeletal fiber microtubule and associated protein MAP65, I try to address self-organization through passive entropic force mechanisms. I use techniques like protein purification, light microscopy, and image analysis to quantify my results. First, I show how crowded environments contribute to microtubule nucleation, polymerization, and bundling via experiments and simulations. Next, I discuss a self-assembled limited-size microtubule bundle that is reminiscent of the mitotic spindle. I characterize these 'tactoids' and show that these are homogeneous and jammed inside. Lastly, I present results of the MAP65 condensate formation via liquid-liquid phase separation and quantification of their properties. Additionally, I elucidate a mechanism of non-centrosomal microtubule nucleation that may play an essential role in the mitotic spindle.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://surface.syr.edu/etd/1384"],"dc:subject":["Asters","LLPS","MAP65","Microtubule","Tactoids","Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Structural Biology","Biophysics","Life Sciences"],"dc:title":["Self-organization of Microtubule and Associated Protein Map65"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Physics"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:56:04Z"}