Stomatocytic or discoidal erythrocyte ghosts containing only spectrin.
We extracted Triton-treated erythrocyte ghosts with 2 M KCl (Triton/KCl/ghosts), and then with 1.2 M KBr at pH 5.5 (Triton/KCl/KBr ghosts). Triton/KCl/KBr ghosts were very similar in shape to untreated ghosts, Triton ghosts and Triton/KCl ghosts under a phase-contrast microscope at various pH vales and salt concentrations, despite having lost most of their phospholipids and proteins, except for spectrin. Negatively stained Triton ghosts, Triton/KCl ghosts and Triton/KCl/KBr ghosts appeared similar to each other, but the regularity of the spectrin network structure decreased somewhat in that order. Triton/KCl/KBr ghosts were stabilized by adding both actin and band 4.1, but not by adding either alone. These and previous findings strongly suggest that the spectrin network is visible and the simplest inframembrane structure.
Nakao
M
M
Department of Biochemistry, Tokyo Medical and Dental University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kojima
Y
Y
Sato
S
S
Hara
Y
Y
Wake
K
K
D001965:Bromides; D002458:Cell Fractionation; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000032:analysis* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D017830:Octoxynol; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011188:Potassium; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D013049:Spectrin / Q000032:analysis*
D001965:Bromides; D010743:Phospholipids; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D013049:Spectrin; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D017830:Octoxynol; C039004:potassium bromide; D011188:Potassium