Relationships of the spectrin complex of human erythrocyte membranes to the actomyosins of muscle cells

Biochemistry. 1976 Oct 5;15(20):4486-92. doi: 10.1021/bi00665a024.

Abstract

Important similarities are reported between human smooth muscle actomyosin and the human erythrocyte spectrin complex, primarily components 1, 2, and 5 (Fairbanks G., Steck, T.L., and Wallach, D.F.H. (1971), Biochemistry 10, 2606). The actin-like protein, component 5, is identical with human uterine actin in its ability to form 50-70-A filaments to stimulate myosin ATPase activity, and to bind rabbit heavy meromyoson specit heavy meromyosin specifically. Antibodies to human smooth muscle myosin(uterine) were prepared which were monospecific. A weak but specific cross-reaction of these antisera with components 1 and/or 2 (spectrin) was characterized and at least 25% of the antimyosin antibodies showed a low affinity reaction iwth spectrin. Antibodies generated against a soluble complex of spectrin components 1 and 2 reacted only with component 1 and did not cross-react with myosin. In addition to these structural similarities between smooth muscle actomyosin and the spectrin complex, we have found that spectrin is involved in ATP-dependent erythrocyte shape changes (Sheetz, M.P., Painter, R.G., AND Singer, S.J. (1976B), Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Cell Motility (in press) and, therefore, the spectrin complex is also a mechanochemical protein system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Actins / metabolism
  • Actomyosin* / metabolism
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / metabolism
  • Blood Proteins* / metabolism
  • Complement Fixation Tests
  • Erythrocyte Membrane / metabolism*
  • Erythrocytes / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunodiffusion
  • Kinetics
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Muscle, Smooth / metabolism*
  • Myosins / metabolism
  • Precipitin Tests
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Spectrin* / isolation & purification
  • Spectrin* / metabolism
  • Uterus / metabolism

Substances

  • Actins
  • Blood Proteins
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Spectrin
  • Actomyosin
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases
  • Myosins