Universal length fluctuations of actin structures found in cells

Abstract Actin is a key cytoskeletal protein that forms filaments that bundle into linear structures in vivo , which are involved in motility, signaling, and cell division. Despite the rapid turnover of individual actin monomers, these structures are often maintained at a specific length, which is important for their function. Length control is commonly attributed to length-dependent assembly or disassembly of the structure, whereby a stable length is achieved when the two opposing processes are balanced. Here we show that regardless of the nature of the length-dependent feedback, such “balance point” models predict a Gaussian distribution of lengths with a variance that is proportional to the steady state length. Contrary to this prediction, a reexamination of experimental measurements on the lengths of stereocilia, microvilli, actin cables, and filopodia reveals that the variance scales with the square of the steady state length. We propose a model in which the individual filaments in bundles undergo independent assembly dynamics, and the length of the bundle is set by the length of the longest filament. This model predicts a non-Gaussian distribution of bundle lengths with a variance that scales with the square of the steady state length. Our theory underscores the importance of crosslinking filaments into networks for size control of cytoskeleton structures.