title: Actin-binding proteins in the growth cone particles (GCP) from fetal rat brain: a 44 kDa actin-binding protein is enriched in the fetal GCP fraction.
abstract: Neuronal growth cones, the motile tips of growing neurites, are thought to play a significant role in nerve growth. To study the role of actin in their motility, we examined actin-binding proteins in growth cone particles (GCP) isolated from fetal rat brain, using a blot-overlay method with biotinylated actin. Among the more than ten species of actin-binding proteins in the GCP, a 44 kDa protein was found specifically in growth cones and was enriched in the cytoskeletal and the membrane skeletal subfractions from the GCP. This protein binds to actin in a Ca(2+)- and Mg(2+)-dependent manner, and ATP enhances its binding to actin. The protein was predominantly present in the fetal GCP, but it is expressed at a much lower level in the neonatal GCP and not detected in adult synaptosomes. The protein also bound to a deoxyribonuclease I column and was eluted by EGTA-containing buffer. The 44 kDa protein appears to be a novel actin-binding protein, since none of the known actin-binding proteins exhibit this combination of properties. Our results suggest that the protein may be involved with the early stages of neurite extension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tashiro
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Komiya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D005333:Fetus; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D016501:Neurites / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008840:Microfilament Proteins