High-throughput mechanomic screening reveals novel regulators of single-cell mechanics
Strampe L, Plak K, Schweitzer C, Liebers C, Müller P, Urbanska M, Kräter M, Baum B, Kayser J, Guck J (2025)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2025
Journal
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2025.10.008
Abstract
The mechanical properties of cells are dynamic, allowing them to adjust to different needs in different biological contexts. In recent years, advanced biophysical techniques have enabled the rapid, high-throughput assessment of single-cell mechanics, providing new insights into the regulation of the mechanical cell phenotype. However, the molecular mechanisms by which cells maintain and regulate their mechanical properties remain poorly understood. Here, we present a genome-scale RNA interference screen investigating the roles of kinase and phosphatase genes in regulating single-cell mechanics using real-time fluorescence and deformability cytometry (RT-FDC). Our screen identified 80 known and novel mechanical regulators across diverse cellular functions from 214 targeted genes, leveraging RT-FDC's unique capabilities for comprehensive, high-throughput mechanical phenotyping with single-cell and cell cycle resolution. These findings refine our understanding of how signaling pathways coordinate structural determinants of cell mechanical phenotypes and provide a starting point for uncovering new molecular targets involved in biomechanical regulation across diverse biological systems.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Max-Planck-Institut für die Physik des Lichts (MPL) / Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light
Germany (DE)
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Germany (DE)
Technische Universität Dresden
Germany (DE)
Germany (DE)
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Germany (DE)
Technische Universität Dresden
Germany (DE)
How to cite
APA:
Strampe, L., Plak, K., Schweitzer, C., Liebers, C., Müller, P., Urbanska, M.,... Guck, J. (2025). High-throughput mechanomic screening reveals novel regulators of single-cell mechanics. Biophysical Journal. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpj.2025.10.008
MLA:
Strampe, Laura, et al. "High-throughput mechanomic screening reveals novel regulators of single-cell mechanics." Biophysical Journal (2025).
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