Association of a nonmuscle myosin II with axoplasmic organelles.

ABSTRACT: Association of motor proteins with organelles is required for the motors to mediate transport. Because axoplasmic organelles move on actin filaments, they must have associated actin-based motors, most likely members of the myosin superfamily. To gain a better understanding of the roles of myosins in the axon we used the giant axon of the squid, a powerful model for studies of axonal physiology. First, a approximately 220 kDa protein was purified from squid optic lobe, using a biochemical protocol designed to isolate myosins. Peptide sequence analysis, followed by cloning and sequencing of the full-length cDNA, identified this approximately 220 kDa protein as a nonmuscle myosin II. This myosin is also present in axoplasm, as determined by two independent criteria. First, RT-PCR using sequen

SUBMITTER: DeGiorgis JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC99618 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature