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Nature Cell Biology 6, 1158–1159 (1 December 2004) | doi:10.1038/ncb1204-1158

Progressing actin: Formin as a processive elongation machine

David R. Kovar & Thomas D. Pollard

Eukaryotes use two types of proteins to nucleate actin filaments: multi-domain formin proteins regulate the assembly of unbranched actin filaments for contractile-ring and actin-cable formation, whereas the Arp2/3 complex generates a network of short, branched filaments similar to those found at the leading edge of motile cells. The Arp2/3 complex does this by initiating branches on pre-existing filaments.