Tropomodulin is highly concentrated at the postsynaptic domain of human and rat neuromuscular junctions.
Tropomodulin is expressed in skeletal muscle and recent studies suggest that tropomodulin is associated with synaptic membranes. Therefore, we have examined neuromuscular junctions by immunofluorescence analysis for tropomodulin localization. Anti-tropomodulin antibodies generated against either the whole protein or a 15-amino acid peptide fragment label human neuromuscular junctions as demonstrated by colocalization with alpha-bungarotoxin label. Tropomodulin labeling also colocalizes with desmin and beta-amyloid proteins which are concentrated in the postsynaptic region. Comparable results are found with immunostaining of neuromuscular junctions in rat diaphragm muscle. These immunofluorescence results suggest that tropomodulin is an integral component of the cytoskeletal lattice associated with the postsynaptic region of neuromuscular junctions.
Sussman
M A
MA
Institute for Genetic Medicine, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90033.
Bilak
M
M
Kedes
L
L
Engel
W K
WK
Askanas
V
V
D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002451:Cell Compartmentation; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D051348:Tropomodulin
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; C495829:TMOD1 protein, human; C495832:Tmod1 protein, rat; D051348:Tropomodulin