ISSN:
0192-253X
Keywords:
Amoeboid movement
;
cell adhesion
;
cytoskeleton
;
cell motility
;
Dictyostelium
;
microfilaments
;
Life and Medical Sciences
;
Genetics
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Ponticulin is a 17,000-dalton transmembrane glycoprotein that is involved in the binding and nucleation of actin filaments by Dictyostelium discoideum plasma membranes. The major actin-binding protein isolated from these membranes by F-actin affinity chromatography, ponticulin also binds F-actin on blot overlays. The actin-binding activity of ponticulin in vitro is identical to that observed for purified plasma membranes: it resists extraction with 0.1 N NaOH, is sensitive to high salt concentrations, and is destroyed by heat, proteolysis, and thiol reduction and alkylation. A cytoplasmic domain of ponticulin mediates binding to actin because univalent antibody fragments directed against the cytoplasmic surface of this protein inhibit 96% of the actin-membrane binding in sedimenlation assays. Antibody specific for ponticulin emoves both ponticu-lin and the ability to reconstitute actin nucleation activity from detergent extracts of solubilized plasma membranes. Levels of plasma membrane ponticulin increase 2- to 3-fold during aggregation streaming, when cells adhere to each other and are highly motile. Although present throughout the plasma membrane, ponticulin is preferentially localized to some actin-rich membrane structures, including sites of cell-cell adhesion and arched regions of the plasma membrane reminiscent of the early stages of pseudopod formation. Ponticulin also is present but not obviously enriched at phagocytic cups of log-phase amebae. These results indicate that ponticulin may function in vivo to attach and nucleate actin filaments at the cytoplas-mic surface of the plasma membrane. A 17,000-dalton analogue of ponticulin has been identified in human polymorphonuclear leukocyte plasma membranes by immunoblotting and immunofluo-rescence microscopy. These findings suggest that the structure and function of ponticulin in motile cells has been evolutionarily conserved.
Additional Material:
8 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/dvg.1020110506
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