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
2023
Volkov VA and Akhmanova A (2023). Phase separation on microtubules: from droplet formation to cellular function? Trends in Cell Biology, Elsevier vol. 34 (1), 18-30. 13-07-2023
Polley S, Müschenborn H, Terbeck M, De Antoni A, Vetter IR, Dogterom M, Musacchio A, Volkov VA and Veld PJHIT (2023). Stable kinetochore‐microtubule attachment requires loop‐dependent Ndc80‐Ndc80 binding. The EMBO Journal, Springer Nature vol. 42 (13), e112504-e112504. 19-05-2023
Maan R, Reese L, Volkov VA, King MR, van der Sluis EO, Andrea N, Evers WH, Jakobi AJ and Dogterom M (2023). Author Correction: Multivalent interactions facilitate motor-dependent protein accumulation at growing microtubule plus-ends. Nature Cell Biology, Springer Nature vol. 25 (4), 626-626. 15-03-2023
van 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 (2023). CSPP1 stabilizes growing microtubule ends and damaged lattices from the luminal side. Journal of Cell Biology, Rockefeller University Press vol. 222 (4), e202208062-e202208062. 08-02-2023
2022
Maan R, Reese L, Volkov VA, King MR, van der Sluis EO, Andrea N, Evers WH, Jakobi AJ and Dogterom M (2022). Multivalent interactions facilitate motor-dependent protein accumulation at growing microtubule plus-ends. Nature Cell Biology, Nature Research 19-12-2022
Nick Maleki A, Huis In 't Veld PJ, Akhmanova A, Dogterom M and Volkov VA (2022). Estimation of microtubule-generated forces using a DNA origami nanospring. Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 136 (5) 05-10-2022
Schwietert F, Volkov VA, Huis in ’t Veld PJ, Dogterom M, Musacchio A and Kierfeld J (2022). Strain stiffening of Ndc80 complexes attached to microtubule plus ends. Biophysical Journal, Biophysical Society vol. 121 (21), 4048-4062. 04-10-2022
Alkemade C, Wierenga H, Volkov VA, López MP, Akhmanova A, ten Wolde PR, Dogterom M and Koenderink GH (2022). Cross-linkers at growing microtubule ends generate forces that drive actin transport. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Sciences vol. 119 (11) 10-03-2022
2020
Volkov VA (2020). Microtubules pull the strings: disordered sequences as efficient couplers of microtubule-generated force. Essays in Biochemistry, Portland Press vol. 64 (2), 371-382. 05-06-2020
Rodríguez-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 (2020). Mechanisms of Motor-Independent Membrane Remodeling Driven by Dynamic Microtubules. Current Biology, Elsevier vol. 30 (6), 972-987.e12. 07-02-2020
2019
Veld PJHIT, Volkov VA, Stender ID, Musacchio A and Dogterom M (2019). Molecular determinants of the Ska-Ndc80 interaction and their influence on microtubule tracking and force-coupling. eLife, eLife vol. 8 05-12-2019
Volkov VA, Veld PJHIT, Musacchio A and Dogterom M (2019). Kinetochore-Mediated Multivalency of Ndc80 Complex Controls Microtubule End Dynamics and Force-Generation. Biophysical Journal, Elsevier vol. 116 (3) 01-02-2019
McHugh T, Zou J, Volkov VA, Bertin A, Talapatra SK, Rappsilber J, Dogterom M and Welburn JPI (2019). The depolymerase activity of MCAK shows a graded response to Aurora B kinase phosphorylation through allosteric regulation. Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 132 (4) 14-01-2019
2018
Volkov VA, Veld PJHIT, Dogterom M and Musacchio A (2018). Multivalency of NDC80 in the outer kinetochore is essential to track shortening microtubules and generate forces. eLife, eLife vol. 7 09-04-2018
Volkov VA, in't Veld PJH, Musacchio A and Dogterom M (2018). Kinetochore-mediated multivalency of Ndc80 complex is essential to harness the power stroke of bending protofilaments at the microtubule end. 01-01-2018
2017
Kanfer G, Peterka M, Arzhanik VK, Drobyshev AL, Ataullakhanov FI, Volkov VA and Kornmann B (2017). CENP-F couples cargo to growing and shortening microtubule ends. Molecular Biology of the Cell, American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) vol. 28 (18), 2400-2409. 12-07-2017
Volkov VA, in't Veld PJH, Dogterom M and Musacchio A (2017). Multimerization of NDC80 kinetochore complexes is essential for efficient microtubule force-coupling. 01-01-2017
2015
Volkov VA, Grissom PM, Arzhanik VK, Zaytsev AV, Renganathan K, McClure-Begley T, Old WM, Ahn N and McIntosh JR (2015). Centromere protein F includes two sites that couple efficiently to depolymerizing microtubules. Journal of Cell Biology, Rockefeller University Press vol. 209 (6), 813-828. 22-06-2015
2014
Volkov VA, Zaytsev AV and Grishchuk EL (2014). Preparation of segmented microtubules to study motions driven by the disassembling microtubule ends. Journal of Visualized Experiments, MyJove (85) 15-03-2014
2013
Volkov VA, Zaytsev AV, Gudimchuk N, Grissom PM, Gintsburg AL, Ataullakhanov FI, McIntosh JR and Grishchuk EL (2013). Long tethers provide high-force coupling of the Dam1 ring to shortening microtubules. 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
Volkov VA and Ataullakhanov FI (2013). [Investigation of molecular machine that integrates microtubules depolymerization and chromosomes movement in mitosis]. Ross Fiziol Zh Im I M Sechenova vol. 99 (2), 153-165. 01-02-2013
2012
Volkov VA, Zaytsev AV, Gudimchuk N, Grissom PM, Ataullakhanov FI, McIntosh J and Grishchuk EL (2012). A tethered Dam1 ring suffices for a minimal force-bearing unit of a kinetochore. 01-01-2012
2010
McIntosh JR, Volkov V, Ataullakhanov FI and Grishchuk EL (2010). Tubulin depolymerization may be an ancient biological motor. Journal of Cell Science, The Company of Biologists vol. 123 (20), 3425-3434. 07-10-2010
2009
Grishchuk EL, Efremov AK, Volkov VA, Spiridonov IS, Gudimchuk N, Westermann S, Dubin D, Barnes G, McIntosh JR and Ataullakhanov FI (2009). The Dam1 Ring Binds Microtubules Strongly Enough To Be A Processive As Well As Energy-efficient Coupler For Chromosome Motion. Biophysical Journal, Elsevier vol. 96 (3) 01-02-2009
2008
(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 motion. Proceedings 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
Grishchuk EL, Efremov AK, Volkov VA, Spiridonov IS, Gudimchuk N, Westermann S, Drubin D, Barnes G, McIntosh JR and Ataullakhanov FI (2008). The Dam1 ring binds microtubules strongly enough to be a processive as well as energy-efficient coupler for chromosome motion. 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
McIntosh JR, Grishchuk EL, Morphew MK, Efremov AK, Zhudenkov K, Volkov VA, Cheeseman IM, Desai A, Mastronarde DN and Ataullakhanov FI (2008). Fibrils Connect Microtubule Tips with Kinetochores: A Mechanism to Couple Tubulin Dynamics to Chromosome Motion. Cell, Elsevier vol. 135 (2), 322-333. 01-10-2008
Grishchuk EL, Spiridonov IS, Volkov VA, Efremov A, Westermann S, Drubin D, Barnes G, Ataullakhanov FI and McIntosh JR (2008). Different assemblies of the DAM1 complex follow shortening microtubules by distinct mechanisms. 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
Korendyaseva TK, Kuvatov DN, Volkov VA, Martinov MV, Vitvitsky VM, Banerjee R and Ataullakhanov FI (2008). An Allosteric Mechanism for Switching between Parallel Tracks in Mammalian Sulfur Metabolism. PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science (PLoS) vol. 4 (5) 02-05-2008
Grants
Career 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 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)