A consistent picture of the actin filament related to the orientation of the actin molecule.
We show that freeze-dried actin filaments which have been rotary shadowed with a light coat of platinum appear very similar in morphology and width to negatively-stained filaments. The addition of a thicker coat of platinum to such preparations gives the actin filaments a different morphology and width, which are similar to those of the rotary-shadowed, quick-frozen filaments described by Heuser and Kirschner (J. Cell Biol. 1980, 86:212-234). The consistent view of the actin filament presented here, particularly its 7-8-nm width, can be interpreted in terms of the overall orientation of the actin subunit in the actin filament.
D000199:Actins; D005612:Freeze Drying; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008958:Models, Molecular; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D000199:Actins; D046911:Macromolecular Substances