Chromatin Unlimited: An Evolutionary View of Chromatin

Actin is a protein found in all eukaryotic cells. In its polymerized form, the cells use it for motility, cytokinesis and for cytoskeletal support. An example of this latter class is the actin bundle in the acrosomal process from the Limulus sperm. The different functions actin performs seem to arise from its interaction with the actin binding proteins. A 3-dimensional structure of this macromolecular assembly is essential to provide a structural basis for understanding this interaction in relationship to its development and functions.

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Structure of clathrin cages and coats in ice

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010014213x ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 44 ◽

pp. 94-97

Author(s):

G.P.A. Vigers ◽

R.A. Crowther ◽

B.M.F. Pearse

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Heavy Chain ◽

Outer Part ◽

Coated Vesicles ◽

Eukaryotic Cells ◽

Coat Proteins ◽

Terminal Domain ◽

Clathrin Heavy Chain ◽

Membrane Components

Clathrin forms the polyhedral cage of coated vesicles, which mediate the transfer of selected membrane components within eukaryotic cells. Clathrin cages and coated vesicles have been extensively studied by electron microscopy of negatively stained preparations and shadowed specimens. From these studies the gross morphology of the outer part of the polyhedral coat has been established and some features of the packing of clathrin trimers into the coat have also been described. However these previous studies have not revealed any internal details about the position of the terminal domain of the clathrin heavy chain, the location of the 100kd-50kd accessory coat proteins or the interactions of the coat with the enclosed membrane.

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The Hierarchic Order of Intermediate Filament Structure and Assembly

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100120308 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

pp. 722-725

Author(s):

U. Aebi ◽

E.C. Glavaris ◽

R. Eichner

Keyword(s):

Tissue Specificity ◽

Structural Model ◽

Eukaryotic Cells ◽

Cdna Sequencing ◽

Filament Structure ◽

Keratin Filaments ◽

Isoelectric Points ◽

Immunological Crossreactivity

Five different classes of intermediate-sized filaments (IFs) have been identified in differentiated eukaryotic cells: vimentin in mesenchymal cells, desmin in muscle cells, neurofilaments in nerve cells, glial filaments in glial cells and keratin filaments in epithelial cells. Despite their tissue specificity, all IFs share several common attributes, including immunological crossreactivity, similar morphology (e.g. about 10 nm diameter - hence ‘10-nm filaments’) and the ability to reassemble in vitro from denatured subunits into filaments virtually indistinguishable from those observed in vivo. Further more, despite their proteinchemical heterogeneity (their MWs range from 40 kDa to 200 kDa and their isoelectric points from about 5 to 8), protein and cDNA sequencing of several IF polypeptides (for refs, see 1,2) have provided the framework for a common structural model of all IF subunits.

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