Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

The role of spectrin in erythrocyte membrane-stimulated actin polymerisation

Abstract

PROTEINS on the cytoplasmic surface of the erythrocyte membrane, including spectrin and actin, are postulated to comprise the red cell cytoskeleton1–3, but little is known about the role of actin or its association with the membrane. We have reported that monomeric (G) actin added to erythrocyte ghosts selectively associates with a component at the cytoplasmic surface of the membrane4,5. We now show that this component is unlikely to be spectrin and that actin binding occurs by stimulated actin polymerisation.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Yu, J., Fischman, D. A. & Steck, T. L. J. supramolec. Struct. 1, 233–248 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Lux, S. E., John, K. M. & Karnovsky, M. J. J. clin. Invest. 58, 955–963 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Sheetz, M. P. & Sawyer, D. J. supramolec. Struct. 8, 399–412 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Cohen, C. M., Jackson, P. L. & Branton, D. J. supramolec. Struct. Suppl. 2, 208 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Cohen, C. M., Jackson, P. L. & Branton, D. J. supramolec. Struct. 9, 113–124 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Bennett, V. & Branton, D. J. biol. Chem. 252, 2753–2763 (1977).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Pinder, J. C., Bray, D. & Gratzer, W. Nature 270, 752–754 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Cohen, C. M. & Branton, D. J. Cell Biol. 79, 262a (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Pollard, T. D. in Molecules and Cell Movement (eds Inoue, S. & Stephens, R. E.) 259–286 (Raven, New York, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Mooseker, M. S. & Tilney, L. G. J. Cell Biol. 67, 725–743 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Begg, D. A., Rodewald, R. & Rebhun, L. I. J. Cell Biol. 79, 846–852 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Edds, K. T. Expl Cell Res. 108, 437–456 (1977).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Nachmias, V. T. & Ash, A. in Cell Motility Vol. 3, (eds Goldman, R., Pollard, T. & Rosenbaum, J.) 771–783 (Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Cohen, C. M., Atterbury, B. & Branton, D. (in preparation).

  15. Oosawa, F. & Kasai, M. in Subunits in Biological Systems (eds Timasheff, S. M. & Fasman, G. D.) 261–322 (Marcel Dekker, New York, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Ungewickell, E. & Gratzer, W. Eur. J. Biochem. 88, 379–385 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Dunbar, J. C. & Ralston, G. B. Biochim. biophys. Acta 510, 283–291 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Steck, T. L. & Kant, J. A. Meth. Enzym. 31, 172–180 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Hosey, M. M. & Tao, M. Biochim. biophys. Acta 482, 348–357 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Fairbanks, G., Steck, T. L. & Wallach, D. F. H. Biochemistry 10, 2606–2616 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

COHEN, C., BRANTON, D. The role of spectrin in erythrocyte membrane-stimulated actin polymerisation. Nature 279, 163–165 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/279163a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/279163a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing