Definition
Cofilin is an actin-binding protein, one of the members of the ADF/cofilin family of proteins ubiquitously present among eukaryotes. ADF/cofilin proteins bind and depolymerize filamentous F-actin in a pH-dependent manner and are responsible for the high turnover rates of actin filaments. Currently, there are three highly conserved proteins in the ADF/cofilin family: ADF (actin depolymerizing factor) or destrin, cofilin 1 (non-muscle cofilin or cofilin), and cofilin 2 (muscle cofilin). In cells, cofilin and the Arp2/3 complex work together to regulate actin treadmilling, a process in which G-actin is preferentially incorporated into the filaments at the (+) end and then dissociated from the (−) end. The actin treadmilling process has been suggested to facilitate HIV trafficking across the cortical actin layer.
Introduction
The first member of the ADF/cofilin family proteins was identified in extracts of embryonic chick brain. Cofilin was later purified from porcine brain and...
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Wu, Y. (2018). Cofilin, Trafficking. In: Hope, T.J., Richman, D.D., Stevenson, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of AIDS. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7101-5_69
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7101-5_69
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