Dr Vladimir Volkov
Senior Lecturer in Physiology
School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
cell division, kinetochore, microtubules, cytoskeleton, multivalency, cryoET
Interests
Microtubules are dynamic biopolymers exerting forces when they grow or shorten. These forces are important in various contexts in living cells, such as during cell division, when microtubule ends attach to chromosomes and help them segregate to daughter cells. Microtubule ends transmit forces to cellular structures using teams of coupling protein molecules. Our research is focused on molecular and mechanical mechanisms by which these protein teams assemble and transmit the forces to cellular structures.Publications
Publications of specific relevance to the Centre for Molecular Cell Biology2023
Phase separation on microtubules: from droplet formation to cellular function?Volkov VA and Akhmanova A
Trends in Cell Biology, Elsevier vol. 34 (1), 18-30.
13-07-2023
Stable kinetochore‐microtubule attachment requires loop‐dependent Ndc80‐Ndc80 bindingPolley S, Müschenborn H, Terbeck M, De Antoni A, Vetter IR, Dogterom M, Musacchio A, Volkov VA and Veld PJHIT
The Embo Journal, Springer Nature vol. 42 (13), e112504-e112504.
19-05-2023
Author Correction: Multivalent interactions facilitate motor-dependent protein accumulation at growing microtubule plus-endsMaan R, Reese L, Volkov VA, King MR, van der Sluis EO, Andrea N, Evers WH, Jakobi AJ and Dogterom M
Nature Cell Biology, Springer Nature vol. 25 (4), 626-626.
15-03-2023
CSPP1 stabilizes growing microtubule ends and damaged lattices from the luminal sidevan den Berg CM, Volkov VA, Schnorrenberg S, Huang Z, Stecker KE, Grigoriev I, Gilani S, Frikstad K-AM, Patzke S, Zimmermann T, Dogterom M and Akhmanova A
Journal of Cell Biology, Rockefeller University Press vol. 222 (4), e202208062-e202208062.
08-02-2023
2022
Multivalent interactions facilitate motor-dependent protein accumulation at growing microtubule plus-endsMaan R, Reese L, Volkov VA, King MR, van der Sluis EO, Andrea N, Evers WH, Jakobi AJ and Dogterom M
Nature Cell Biology, Nature Research
19-12-2022
Estimation of microtubule-generated forces using a DNA origami nanospringNick Maleki A, Huis In 't Veld PJ, Akhmanova A, Dogterom M and Volkov VA
Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 136 (5)
05-10-2022
Strain stiffening of Ndc80 complexes attached to microtubule plus endsSchwietert F, Volkov VA, Huis in ’t Veld PJ, Dogterom M, Musacchio A and Kierfeld J
Biophysical Journal, Biophysical Society vol. 121 (21), 4048-4062.
04-10-2022
Cross-linkers at growing microtubule ends generate forces that drive actin transportAlkemade C, Wierenga H, Volkov VA, López MP, Akhmanova A, ten Wolde PR, Dogterom M and Koenderink GH
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences vol. 119 (11)
10-03-2022
2020
Microtubules pull the strings: disordered sequences as efficient couplers of microtubule-generated force.Volkov VA
Essays in Biochemistry, Portland Press vol. 64 (2), 371-382.
05-06-2020
Mechanisms of Motor-Independent Membrane Remodeling Driven by Dynamic MicrotubulesRodríguez-García R, Volkov VA, Chen C-Y, Katrukha EA, Olieric N, Aher A, Grigoriev I, López MP, Steinmetz MO, Kapitein LC, Koenderink G, Dogterom M and Akhmanova A
Current Biology, Elsevier vol. 30 (6), 972-987.e12.
07-02-2020
2019
Molecular determinants of the Ska-Ndc80 interaction and their influence on microtubule tracking and force-couplingVeld PJHIT, Volkov VA, Stender ID, Musacchio A and Dogterom M
Elife, Elife vol. 8
05-12-2019
Kinetochore-Mediated Multivalency of Ndc80 Complex Controls Microtubule End Dynamics and Force-GenerationVolkov VA, Veld PJHIT, Musacchio A and Dogterom M
Biophysical Journal, Elsevier vol. 116 (3)
01-02-2019
The depolymerase activity of MCAK shows a graded response to Aurora B kinase phosphorylation through allosteric regulationMcHugh T, Zou J, Volkov VA, Bertin A, Talapatra SK, Rappsilber J, Dogterom M and Welburn JPI
Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 132 (4)
14-01-2019
2018
Multivalency of NDC80 in the outer kinetochore is essential to track shortening microtubules and generate forcesVolkov VA, Veld PJHIT, Dogterom M and Musacchio A
Elife, Elife vol. 7
09-04-2018
Kinetochore-mediated multivalency of Ndc80 complex is essential to harness the power stroke of bending protofilaments at the microtubule end.Volkov VA, in't Veld PJH, Musacchio A and Dogterom M
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL. vol. 29 (26)
01-01-2018
2017
CENP-F couples cargo to growing and shortening microtubule endsKanfer G, Peterka M, Arzhanik VK, Drobyshev AL, Ataullakhanov FI, Volkov VA and Kornmann B
Molecular Biology of The Cell, American Society For Cell Biology (Ascb) vol. 28 (18), 2400-2409.
12-07-2017
Multimerization of NDC80 kinetochore complexes is essential for efficient microtubule force-coupling.Volkov VA, in't Veld PJH, Dogterom M and Musacchio A
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL. vol. 28
01-01-2017
2015
Centromere protein F includes two sites that couple efficiently to depolymerizing microtubulesVolkov VA, Grissom PM, Arzhanik VK, Zaytsev AV, Renganathan K, McClure-Begley T, Old WM, Ahn N and McIntosh JR
Journal of Cell Biology, Rockefeller University Press vol. 209 (6), 813-828.
22-06-2015
2014
Preparation of segmented microtubules to study motions driven by the disassembling microtubule ends.Volkov VA, Zaytsev AV and Grishchuk EL
Journal of Visualized Experiments, Myjove (85)
15-03-2014
2013
Long tethers provide high-force coupling of the Dam1 ring to shortening microtubulesVolkov VA, Zaytsev AV, Gudimchuk N, Grissom PM, Gintsburg AL, Ataullakhanov FI, McIntosh JR and Grishchuk EL
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America, Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences vol. 110 (19), 7708-7713.
22-04-2013
[Investigation of molecular machine that integrates microtubules depolymerization and chromosomes movement in mitosis].Volkov VA and Ataullakhanov FI
Ross Fiziol Zh Im I M Sechenova vol. 99 (2), 153-165.
01-02-2013
2012
A tethered Dam1 ring suffices for a minimal force-bearing unit of a kinetochore.Volkov VA, Zaytsev AV, Gudimchuk N, Grissom PM, Ataullakhanov FI, McIntosh J and Grishchuk EL
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL. vol. 23
01-01-2012
2010
Tubulin depolymerization may be an ancient biological motorMcIntosh JR, Volkov V, Ataullakhanov FI and Grishchuk EL
Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 123 (20), 3425-3434.
07-10-2010
2009
The Dam1 Ring Binds Microtubules Strongly Enough To Be A Processive As Well As Energy-efficient Coupler For Chromosome MotionGrishchuk EL, Efremov AK, Volkov VA, Spiridonov IS, Gudimchuk N, Westermann S, Dubin D, Barnes G, McIntosh JR and Ataullakhanov FI
Biophysical Journal, Elsevier vol. 96 (3)
01-02-2009
2008
Correction for Grishchuk et al., The Dam1 ring binds microtubules strongly enough to be a processive as well as energy-efficient coupler for chromosome motionProceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America, Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences vol. 105 (49), 19562-19562.
09-12-2008
The Dam1 ring binds microtubules strongly enough to be a processive as well as energy-efficient coupler for chromosome motionGrishchuk EL, Efremov AK, Volkov VA, Spiridonov IS, Gudimchuk N, Westermann S, Drubin D, Barnes G, McIntosh JR and Ataullakhanov FI
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America, Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences vol. 105 (40), 15423-15428.
07-10-2008
Fibrils Connect Microtubule Tips with Kinetochores: A Mechanism to Couple Tubulin Dynamics to Chromosome MotionMcIntosh JR, Grishchuk EL, Morphew MK, Efremov AK, Zhudenkov K, Volkov VA, Cheeseman IM, Desai A, Mastronarde DN and Ataullakhanov FI
Cell, Elsevier vol. 135 (2), 322-333.
01-10-2008
Different assemblies of the DAM1 complex follow shortening microtubules by distinct mechanismsGrishchuk EL, Spiridonov IS, Volkov VA, Efremov A, Westermann S, Drubin D, Barnes G, Ataullakhanov FI and McIntosh JR
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America, Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences vol. 105 (19), 6918-6923.
13-05-2008
An Allosteric Mechanism for Switching between Parallel Tracks in Mammalian Sulfur MetabolismKorendyaseva TK, Kuvatov DN, Volkov VA, Martinov MV, Vitvitsky VM, Banerjee R and Ataullakhanov FI
Plos Computational Biology, Public Library of Science (Plos) vol. 4 (5)
02-05-2008
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to the Centre for Molecular Cell BiologyCareer Development Award: Structural and mechanistic understanding of kinetochore-mediated control of microtubule dynamicsVladimir Volkov
£2,044,077 Wellcome Trust
01-01-2025 - 31-12-2032
Amyloids and Oligomers. Curvilinear and annular structures and their interation with exosomes and whole cellsJohn Viles, Ivan Kadurin, Vladimir Volkov and Vidya Chandran Darbari
£485,209 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
01-12-2023 - 30-11-2026
Cooperativity and forces in molecular interactions governing chromosome stabilityVladimir Volkov and Viji Draviam Sastry
£717,413 BBSRC Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
20-11-2023 - 19-11-2026