Some properties of the protein forming the outer fibers of cilia

Abstract

Cilia were isolated from Tetrahymena pyriformis by an ethanol-calcium procedure. Solutions of outer-fiber protein were obtained either by aqueous extraction of an acetone powder of whole cilia, or by dissolving the isolated outer-fibers in 0.6 M KCl. In aqueous solution, the outer-fiber protein has a sedimentation coefficient of 6.0S and a molecular weight of 104,000 ± 14,000. In 5 M guanidine hydrochloride solution the molecular weight falls to 55,000 ± 5,000. After reduction and alkylation in 8 M urea, about 95% of the protein migrates as a single band on electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gel at pH 8.9; the migration velocity is identical with that of reduced and alkylated actin. Freshly prepared outer-fiber protein contains about 7.5 sulfhydryl groups per 55,000 g of protein. The amino acid composition of outer-fiber protein resembles that of actin, with such differences as occur being of the same order as those between actins from different species of animal.