Actin in the brush-border of epithelial cells of the chicken intestine

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1971 Oct;68(10):2611-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.68.10.2611.

Abstract

The major soluble protein of the isolated brush-border of the intestinal epithelium has a molecular weight and net charge indistinguishable from those of skeletal-muscle actin, as determined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Furthermore, this protein, isolated from acetone powders of the purified brush-border, undergoes a G to F transformation in the presence of Mg(++). The filaments have a substructure indistinguishable from muscle actin, as seen by the negative-staining technique, and bind heavy meromyosin with the arrowhead configuration characteristic of actin. The filaments in the microvilli of the intact bruch-border also bind heavy meromyosin. Thus, actin seems to be present in intestinal epithelial cells.

MeSH terms

  • Actins / analysis
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Chickens
  • Electrophoresis, Disc
  • Epithelial Cells
  • Epithelium / analysis
  • Intestines / analysis*
  • Microscopy, Electron
  • Molecular Weight
  • Muscle Proteins / analysis*
  • Myosin Subfragments / metabolism
  • Protein Binding

Substances

  • Actins
  • Muscle Proteins
  • Myosin Subfragments