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W Steffen

Publications and source records attributed to W Steffen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Hypersonic acoustic excitations in binary colloidal crystals: big versus small hard sphere control.

The phononic band structure of two binary colloidal crystals, at hypersonic frequencies, is studied by means of Brillouin light scattering and analyzed in conjunction with corresponding dispersion diagrams of the single colloidal crystals of the constituent particles. Besides the acoustic band of the average medium, the authors' results show the existence of narrow bands originating from resonant multipole modes of the individual particles as well as Bragg-type modes due to the (short-range) periodicity. Strong interaction, leading to the occurrence of hybridization gaps, is observed between the acoustic band and the band of quadrupole modes of the particles that occupy the largest fractional volume of the mixed crystal; the effective radius is either that of the large (in the symmetric NaCl-type crystalline phase) or the small (in the asymmetric NaZn(13)-type crystalline phase) particles. The possibility to reveal a universal behavior of the phononic band structure for different single and binary colloidal crystalline suspensions, by representing in the dispersion diagrams reduced quantities using an appropriate length scale, is discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

The spectrum of vibration modes in soft opals.

Numerous vibrational modes of spherical submicrometer particles in fabricated soft opals are experimentally detected by Brillouin light scattering and theoretically identified by their spherical harmonics by means of single-phonon scattering-cross-section calculations. The particle size polydispersity is reflected in the line shape of the low-frequency modes, whereas lattice vibrations are probably responsible for the observed overdamped transverse mode.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Three-dimensional reconstruction of the dynactin complex by single-particle image analysis.

Dynactin is a large complex of at least nine distinct proteins that co-complexes with cytoplasmic dynein within cells, where it plays a major role as a regulator of the motor's function. Owing to its large size and complexity, relatively little is known about dynactin's 3D structure or the structural basis of its function. Use of single-particle image analysis techniques has enabled us to produce the first 3D reconstruction of the dynactin complex, to a resolution of 3 nm. The actin-related protein (Arp) backbone of the filament has been clearly visualized. Fitting of models of the Arp backbone showed that it consists of 10 subunits. Additional mass, not part of the Arp backbone, was also seen. A preliminary fitting of the capping protein CapZ structure into our 3D reconstruction of the dynactin complex suggests that it is optimally placed to perform its proposed function as a stabilizer of the Arp1 backbone and gives clues as to likely interaction points between the capping protein and Arp subunits. The results provide the first detailed visualization of the dynactin complex and shed light on the mode of interaction between several of its constituent proteins and their possible functions.

Crystallography↗
PubMed2005

Structure of amorphous poly-(ethylmethacrylate): a wide-angle x-ray scattering study.

The local, temperature dependent structure of poly-(ethylmethacrylate) was studied with wide-angle x-ray scattering. The results were set into context to recent wide-angle neutron scattering results as well as to the results from a multitude of studies of the dynamics of this polymer. The temperature dependence of the wide angle x-ray results point to the development of local order which is backed by the neutron scattering results and which is connected to characteristic temperatures of the relaxation dynamic T(g) and T(c). The poly-(ethylmethacrylate) was studied in its predominantly syndiotactic as well as predominantly isotactic state displaying vastly different local structures as manifested in the x-ray results.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

High frequency acoustic excitations in ordered diblock copolymer studied by inelastic x-ray scattering.

The phonon propagation in lamellar nanostructures formed via self-assembling of short styrene-b-isoprene (SI) as well as of its more incompatible styrene-b-(ethylene-alt-propylene) (SEP) counterpart was studied by inelastic x-ray scattering. Irrespective of the physical state of the block copolymers, a single acoustic phonon was observed in SI (ordered and disordered) and SEP (ordered). At GHz frequencies, inelastic light scattering from the same samples revealed very small dispersion in the sound phase velocity but a short phonon lifetime.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Slow dynamics of salol: a pressure- and temperature-dependent light scattering study.

We study the slow dynamics of salol by varying both temperature and pressure using photon correlation spectroscopy and pressure-volume-temperature measurements, and compare the behavior of the structural relaxation time with equations derived within the Adam-Gibbs entropy theory and the Cohen-Grest free volume theory. We find that pressure-dependent data are crucial to assess the validity of these model equations. Our analysis supports the entropy-based equation, and estimates the configurational entropy of salol at ambient pressure approximately 70% of the excess entropy. Finally, we investigate the evolution of the shape of the structural relaxation process, and find that a time-temperature-pressure superposition principle holds over the range investigated.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Photon correlation spectroscopy with high-energy coherent x rays.

We performed x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy on a model suspension of colloidal particles using x rays of three different energies, namely, 8 keV, 13.5 keV, and 19 keV. The observed reduction in the degree of coherence with increasing x-ray energy, as measured by the contrast of the correlation functions, is consistent with theoretical estimates. We show that it is well possible and under certain circumstances even advantageous to perform experiments with coherent x rays at these higher energies. We argue that the reduced absorption may not only allow for thicker samples but also for longer acquisition times because of the reduced radiation damage, thus outweighing in many cases the effect of the reduced coherent flux. The use of higher energy x rays for photon correlation spectroscopy can therefore lead to a substantial increase in the signal-to-noise ratio and constitutes a promising option for future experiments on samples of polymeric or biological origin.

Models, Theoretical↗
PubMed2003

Temperature and pressure study of Brillouin transverse modes in the organic glass-forming liquid orthoterphenyl.

Transverse Brillouin spectra of orthoterphenyl are measured in the (250-305 K; 0.1-100 MPa) temperature-pressure range, which corresponds to the supercooled phase of this organic glass former. We show that the analysis of these spectra combined with an extrapolation of the reorientation times under pressure leads to an estimate of the static shear viscosity in a pressure range whose validity extends beyond the range of the Brillouin measurements. The relative contributions of temperature and of density to the change of this reorientation time measured along an isobar are extracted from our results in a large temperature range extending from the liquid to the low temperature supercooled state. They appear to be always of the same order of magnitude. It is also shown that in the range of the experiment, the orientational time is depending on a unique parameter built on temperature and density.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Mapping the actin filament with myosin.

Structural studies have shown that the heads of the myosin motor molecule bind preferentially to "target zones" of favorably oriented sites on the helices of the actin filament. We present direct evidence for target zones from the interactions of a single myosin head with an actin filament held between two optically trapped beads. With compliant traps, thermal motions of the filament allow the fixed myosin-S1 to interact with at least two zones, observed as a bi-modal distribution of filament displacements due to myosin binding, whose spacing is near the 36-nm helix repeat distance. The number of binding events and the "apparent working stroke" (mean displacement with myosin bound), vary periodically as the filament is moved past the fixed myosin by displacing the traps; observed periods are close to 36 nm and the apparent stroke varies from 0-10 nm. We also observe a strong modulation at the 5.5-nm actin monomer repeat confirming that myosin interacts with a single strand and that the actin is not free to rotate. Each interaction can be assigned to an actin monomer and each active zone on the helix is made up of three actin monomers.

Actins↗
PubMed2001

Unusual features of long-range density fluctuations in glass-forming organic liquids: a Rayleigh and Rayleigh-Brillouin light scattering study.

A new feature of glass-forming liquids, i.e., long-range density fluctuations of the order of 100 nm, has been extensively characterized by means of static light scattering, photon correlation spectroscopy and Rayleigh-Brillouin spectroscopy in orthoterphenyl (OTP) and 1,1-di(4(')-methoxy-5(')methyl-phenyl)-cyclohexane (BMMPC). These long-range density fluctuations result in the following unusual features observed in a light scattering experiment, which are not described by the existing theories: (i) strong q-dependent isotropic excess Rayleigh intensity, (ii) additional slow component in the polarized photon correlation function, and (iii) high Landau-Placzek ratio. These unusual features are equilibrium properties of the glass-forming liquids and depend only on temperature, provided that the sample has been equilibrated long enough. The temperature-dependent equilibration times were measured for BMMPC and are about 11 orders of magnitude longer than the alpha process. It was found that the glass-forming liquid OTP may occur in two states: with and without long-range density fluctuations ("clusters"). We have characterized the two states by static and dynamic light scattering in the temperature range from T(g) to T(g)+200 K. The relaxation times of the alpha process as well as the parameters of the Brillouin line are identical in both OTP with and without clusters. The alpha process (density fluctuations) in OTP was characterized by measuring either the polarized (VV) or depolarized (VH) correlation function, which are practically identical and q-independent. This feature, which is commonly observed in glass-forming liquids, is not fully explained by the existing theories.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Conjugated organometallic polymers containing Vollhardt's cyclobutadiene complex: aggregation and morphologies.

Organometallic polymers were prepared by acyclic diyne metathesis (ADIMET) or by Pd-catalyzed coupling of 1,3-diethynylcyclobutadiene(cyclopentadienyl)cobalt with a suitably substituted diiodobenzene. The polymers obtained by Heck coupling show a degree of polymerization (Pn) of 20-60. The monomers for ADIMET were made by the Pd-catalyzed coupling of [1,3-bis(trimethylsilylethynyl)-2,4-bis(trimethylsilyl)cyclobutadiene](cyclopentadienyl)cobalt to 1-bromo-2,5-dialkyl-4-propynylbenzenes in the presence of KOH in yields of 40-48%. The monomers carry hexyl, ethylhexyl, and (S)-3,7-dimethyloctyl side chains. Polymerization of the propynylated monomers furnishes organometallic polymers with a Pn of up to 230 arylene-ethynylene units. The polymers were fully characterized by polarizing microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, circular dichroism, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). They show nematic, lyotropic liquid crystalline phases as well as chiroptical properties from which aggregation in poor solvents and in the solid state can be concluded. Lamellar or irregular honeycomb-shaped morphologies in these organometallic polymers can be detected by electron microscopy.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

In vitro reconstitution of fish melanophore pigment aggregation.

Movement and positioning of melanophore pigment organelles depend on microtubule- and actin-dependent motors, but the regulation of these forces are poorly understood. Here, we describe a cell free and fixed time motility assay for the study of the regulation of microtubule-dependent pigment organelle positioning in vitro. The assay involves introduction of microtubule-asters assembled in clam oocyte lysates into lysates prepared from Fundulus heteroclitus melanophores with either aggregated or dispersed pigment. When asters were introduced in lysates prepared from melanophores with dispersed pigment, pigment organelles bound astral microtubules and were evenly distributed throughout the aster. In contrast, when asters were introduced into lysates prepared from melanophores with aggregated pigment, pigment organelles accumulated around the centrosome, mimicking a pigment aggregate. The addition of anti-dynein intermediate chain antibody (m74-1), previously shown to interfere with binding of dynactin to dynein and thereby causing detachment of dynein from organelles, blocked the ATP-dependent aggregation of pigment in vitro and induced a depletion of pigment from the centrosomal area. The results show that dynein is essential for pigment aggregation and involved in maintenance of evenly dispersed pigment in vitro, analogous to cellular evidence, and suggest a possible role for dynactin in these processes as well.

Actins↗
PubMed2001

Hidden-Markov methods for the analysis of single-molecule actomyosin displacement data: the variance-Hidden-Markov method.

In single-molecule experiments on the interaction between myosin and actin, mechanical events are embedded in Brownian noise. Methods of detecting events have progressed from simple manual detection of shifts in the position record to threshold-based selection of intermittent periods of reduction in noise. However, none of these methods provides a "best fit" to the data. We have developed a Hidden-Markov algorithm that assumes a simple kinetic model for the actin-myosin interaction and provides automatic, threshold-free, maximum-likelihood detection of events. The method is developed for the case of a weakly trapped actin-bead dumbbell interacting with a stationary myosin molecule (Finer, J. T., R. M. Simmons, and J. A. Spudich. 1994. Nature. 368:113-119). The algorithm operates on the variance of bead position signals in a running window, and is tested using Monte Carlo simulations to formulate ways of determining the optimum window width. The working stroke is derived and corrected for actin-bead link compliance. With experimental data, we find that modulation of myosin binding by the helical structure of the actin filament complicates the determination of the working stroke; however, under conditions that produce a Gaussian distribution of bound levels (cf. Molloy, J. E., J. E. Burns, J. Kendrick-Jones, R. T. Tregear, and D. C. S. White. 1995. Nature. 378:209-212), four experiments gave working strokes in the range 5.4-6.3 nm for rabbit skeletal muscle myosin S1.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗
PubMed2001

Dynactin-dependent, dynein-driven vesicle transport in the absence of membrane proteins: a role for spectrin and acidic phospholipids.

We reconstituted dynein-driven, dynactin-dependent vesicle transport using protein-free liposomes and soluble components from squid axoplasm. Dynein and dynactin, while necessary, are not the only essential cytosolic factors; axonal spectrin is also required. Spectrin is resident on axonal vesicles, and rebinds from cytosol to liposomes or proteolysed vesicles, concomitant with their dynein-dynactin-dependent motility. Binding of purified axonal spectrin to liposomes requires acidic phospholipids, as does motility. Using dominant negative spectrin polypeptides and a drug that releases PH domains from membranes, we show that spectrin is required for linking dynactin, and thereby dynein, to acidic phospholipids in the membrane. We verify this model in the context of liposomes, isolated axonal vesicles, and whole axoplasm. We conclude that spectrin has an essential role in retrograde axonal transport.

Acids↗
PubMed2001

Myosin Va bound to phagosomes binds to F-actin and delays microtubule-dependent motility.

We established a light microscopy-based assay that reconstitutes the binding of phagosomes purified from mouse macrophages to preassembled F-actin in vitro. Both endogenous myosin Va from mouse macrophages and exogenous myosin Va from chicken brain stimulated the phagosome-F-actin interaction. Myosin Va association with phagosomes correlated with their ability to bind F-actin in an ATP-regulated manner and antibodies to myosin Va specifically blocked the ATP-sensitive phagosome binding to F-actin. The uptake and retrograde transport of phagosomes from the periphery to the center of cells in bone marrow macrophages was observed in both normal mice and mice homozygous for the dilute-lethal spontaneous mutation (myosin Va null). However, in dilute-lethal macrophages the accumulation of phagosomes in the perinuclear region occurred twofold faster than in normal macrophages. Motion analysis revealed saltatory phagosome movement with temporarily reversed direction in normal macrophages, whereas almost no reversals in direction were observed in dilute-lethal macrophages. These observations demonstrate that myosin Va mediates phagosome binding to F-actin, resulting in a delay in microtubule-dependent retrograde phagosome movement toward the cell center. We propose an "antagonistic/cooperative mechanism" to explain the saltatory phagosome movement toward the cell center in normal macrophages.

Actins↗