Mobility of cytoplasmic and membrane-associated actin in living cells.

Y. L. Wang, F. Lanni, P. L. McNeil, B. R. Ware, D. L. Taylor

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

63 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have combined fluorescent analogue cytochemistry with fluorescence photobleaching recovery to measure the mobility of fluorescently labeled actin and other labeled test proteins microinjected into living amoebae. Bovine serum albumin, ovalbumin, and ribonuclease A have a cytoplasmic mobility, expressed as a diffusion coefficient, that is 1/2 to 1/3 of that observed in aqueous solution; 90% of the actin has a mobility 1/2 to 1/8 of that of G-actin in aqueous solution, and approximately equal to 10% of the actin has a mobility comparable to that of F-actin in aqueous solution. Therefore, no more than 10% of the actin in the cytoplasm of amoebae can exist as static filaments. Microinjection of phalloidin decreases the diffusion coefficient of the mobile component of cytoplasmic actin, and it also increases the low-mobility fraction to 50% but has no effect on the mobility of labeled ovalbumin. By comparing the mobility of actin in different parts of amoebae and by separating cytoplasm from plasmalemma-ectoplasm, we found the low-mobility fraction of actin to be enriched in the tail, along the plasmalemma-ectoplasm, and in contracted cytoplasm.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)4660-4664
Number of pages5
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume79
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1982
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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