Activation of heavy meromyosin adenosine triphosphatase by various states of actin.

F-actin monomer (F-monomer) is formed upon the addition of neutral salt to G-actin. Since F-monomer has a digestibility similar to that of F-actin and much lower than that of G-actin, it has been proposed that F-monomer has a conformation different from that of G-actin and similar to the conformation of the subunits in F-actin. To examine whether F-monomer will enhance the magnesium-activated myosin adenosine triphosphatase (Mg2+-ATPase) as much as F-actin, the ability of partially polymerized actin populations at equilibrium to activate the Mg2+-ATPase of heavy meromyosin was investigated. Correlations were made between ATPase activities and the polymerization state of actin as determined by measurements of viscosity and digestibility. No significant activation of the heavy meromyosin ATPase was observed under conditions where G-actin or mixtures of G-actin and F-monomer were present. As polymer formation occurred at higher actin concentrations, or with increased KCl concentrations, substantial activation characteristic of F-actin was observed. The data suggest that F-monomer may undergo a further conformational change as it forms nuclei or joins onto polymers. Alternatively, the site of actin which activates the myosin ATPase may involve the crevice between two adjacent actin subunits.     

Crystalline actin tubes. I. Is the conformation of the lanthanide-induced actin tube monomer more like F-actin than G-actin?

Actin, isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle, forms highly-ordered aggregates when it binds six moles of the lanthanide ion, Gd3+. In the presence of 0.1 M KCl, these aggregates are referred to as actin tubes. The monomer contained in the repeating subunit of these tubes possess a number of functional characteristics which include: (i) binding to myosin or subfragment-1 of myosin; (ii) rapid conversion into filamentous Gd-actin which can activate myosin ATPase activity; (iii) a slow rate of exchange of the bound nucleotide; (iv) a slow rate of exchange of the metal cation; (v) a resistance to digestion by proteolytic enzymes. Additionally, the monomer of the Gd-actin tube structures appears to stoichiometrically bind ATP and exhibit a lower minimum protein concentration for tube formation than is needed for the formation of F-actin. The properties listed above suggest that the actin monomer, which comprises the Gd-actin tubes, bears little resemblance to either the G-actin monomer or the recently-described actin monomer conformation that exists under conditions that favour polymerization. The data suggest that the actin molecules which comprise the Gd-actin tube structures contain sites which bind myosin, nucleotide and metal cations and that these sites are similar to the sites on F-actin.     

The polyelectrolyte behavior of actin filaments: a 25Mg NMR study.

Under physiological conditions, filamentous actin (F-actin) is a polyanionic protein filament. Key features of the behavior of F-actin are shared with other well-characterized polyelectrolytes, in particular, duplex DNA. For example, the bundle formation of F-actin by polyvalent cations, including divalent metal ions such as Mg2+, has been proposed to be a natural consequence of the polyelectrolyte nature of actin filaments [Tang and Janmey (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 8556-8563]. This recently proposed model also suggests that weak interactions between F-actin and Mg2+ ions reflect a nonspecific trapping of counterions in the electric field surrounding F-actin due to its polyelectrolyte nature. To test this hypothesis, we have performed 25Mg NMR measurements in F-actin solutions. Based on the NMR data, we estimate that the rotational correlation times of Mg2+ are independent of the overall rotational dynamics of the actin filaments. Moreover, competitive binding experiments demonstrate a facile displacement of F-actin-bound Mg2+ by Co(NH3)63+. At higher Co(NH3)63+ concentrations, a fraction of the magnesium ions are trapped as actin filaments aggregate. ATP also competes effectively with actin filaments for binding to Mg2+. These results support the hypothesis that magnesium ions bind loosely and nonspecifically to actin filaments, and thus show a behavior typical of counterions in polyelectrolyte solutions. The observed features mimic to some extent the well-documented behavior of counterions in DNA solutions.     

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance and electron paramagnetic resonance studies on skeletal muscle actin indicate that the metal and nucleotide binding sites are separate

The distance separating the high-affinity binding sites of actin for a divalent metal ion and nucleotide was evaluated by using high-resolution proton NMR and EPR spectroscopy. Replacement of the Ca2+ or Mg2+ bound to the high-affinity divalent cation site of G-actin by trivalent lanthanide ions such as La3+, EU3+, or Gd3+ results in an increase in the mobility of the bound ATP as observed in the NMR spectra of G-actin monomers. Little difference was observed between the spectra obtained in the presence of the diamagnetic La3+ control and the paramagnetic ions Eu3+ and Gd3+ which respectively shift and broaden the proton resonances of amino acids in the vicinity of the binding site. Analysis of the NMR spectra indicates that the metal and nucleotide binding sites are separated by a distance of at least 16 A. In the past, the metal and ATP have been widely assumed to bind as a complex. Further verification that the two sites on actin are physically separated was obtained by using an ATP analogue with a nitroxide spin-label bound at the 6' position of the purine ring. An estimate of the distance was made between the site containing the ATP analogue and the paramagnetic ion, Mn2+, bound to the cation binding site. These EPR experiments were not affected by the state of polymerization of the actin. The data obtained by using this technique support the conclusion stated above, namely, that the cation and nucleotide sites on either G- or F-actin are well separated.     

Detection of conformational changes in actin by proteolytic digestion: Evidence for a new monomeric species

When KCl is added to a solution of G-actin to induce full polymerization, a decrease in the rate at which actin undergoes enzymatic proteolysis occurs. This decrease cannot be accounted for by factors affecting the enzymes employed, but rather appears to be due to a change in the conformation of G-actin. Partially polymerized actin solutions also show a reduction in digestibility which is dependent on the F-actin content, suggesting that F-actin is essentially indigestible. Moreover, low rates of digestion were also observed at sub-critical actin concentrations, where actin in the presence of 0.1 m-KCl does not polymerize. This indicates that a confomational change occurs in G-actin before the polymerization step.At sub-critical concentrations in 0.1 m-KCl, actin is in a truly monomeric state as judged by its viscosity characteristics, its inability to enhance the rate of polymerization of G-actin and its possession of ATP as the actin-bound nucleotide. These data support the existence of a new species of actin, called F-ATP-actin monomer, which has the same physical properties and the same bound nucleotide as G-actin, but digestion characteristics like F-actin. Since F-ATP-actin monomers have the same low susceptibility to proteolysis as F-ADP-actin polymers, and because both G-ATP-actin and G-ADP-actin have similar high rates of digestion, the observed change in the conformation of actin cannot be due to the phosphorylated state of the actin-bound nucleotide. Instead, the conformational change appears to be caused by the addition of KCl to G-actin.The newly-detected monomeric species is considered to be an intermediate in the polymerization process where F-ATP-actin monomers form a population of polymerizable molecules which must reach a critical concentration before nucleation and F-actin polymer formation begin.     

Actin deoxyroboncuclease I interaction. Depolymerization and nucleotide exchange

Deoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) forms a 1:1 complex with globular actin (G-actin) and also will depolymerize filamentous actin (F-actin) to form a 1:1 complex. The effect of DNase I on the exchange of the actin nucleotide has been investigated. When DNase I is added to G-actin, the rate of nucleotide exchange is decreased from 1.16 +/- 0.25 X 10(-4) s-1 to 0.28 +/- 0.09 X 10(-4) s-1 (0 degrees C). The presence of ATP or ADP in the actin has little effect on the rate of exchange of the nucleotide for ATP. This suggests that the weaker affinity of ADP than ATP for actin is due to a slower association rate of ADP. The rate of the nucleotide exchange in the actinDNase I complex is increased by the addition of NaCl or MgCl2. When DNase I is added to F-actin, the rate of nucleotide exchange (6.2 +/- 1.6 X 10(-4) x-1, 0 degrees C) is similar to the rate of depolymerization as measured by loss of viscosity. The actinDNase I complex formed by depolymerization of F-actin exchanges nucleotide at a 4-fold faster rate than the G-actinDNase I complex in the same ionic conditions. This and other experiments suggest that DNase I binds first to F-actin before dissociating the monomer from the filament. These results are discussed in terms of possible mechanisms of action depolymerization.     

Some properties of Physarum actinin. A regulatory protein of actin polymerization.

A factor termed Physarum actinin was isolated and partially purified from plasmodia of a myxomycete, Physarum polycephalum. When Physarum actinin was mixed with purified Physarum or rabbit striated muscle G-actin in a weight ratio of about 1 actinin to 9 actin and then the polymerization of G-actin induced, G-actin polymerized to the ordinary F-actin on addition of 0.1 M KCl. However, it polymerized to Mg-polymer on addition of 2 mM MgCl2. The reduced viscosity (etasp/C) of the Mg-polymer was 1.2 dl/g, about one-seventh of that of the F-actin (7.4 dl/g). The sedimentation coefficient of the Mg-polymer was 22.8 S, almost the same as that of the F-actin (29.4 S). The Mg-polymer showed the specific ATPase activity of the order of 1 . 10(-3) mumol ATP/mg actin per min. It was shown that Physarum actinin copolymerized with G-actin to form Mg-polymer on addition of 2 mM MgCl2. The molecular weights of Physarum actinin were about 90 000 in salt-free or slat solutions and 43 000 in a dodecyl sulfate solution. The range of salting out with ammonium sulfate was 50--65% saturation, which was different from that of Physarum actin (15--35% saturation). Physarum actinin did not interact with Physarum myosin or muscle heavy meromyosin. When the weight ratio of actinin to actin increased, the flow birefringence of the formed Mg-polymer decreased, and it became almost zero at the weight ratio of 1 actinin to 5 actin. ATPase activity reached the maximum level (2.2 . 10(-3) mumol ATP/mg actin per min) at the same ratio. On the addition of Physarum actinin to purified Physarum F-actin which had been polymerized on addition of 2 mM MgCl2 the viscosity decreased rapidly, suggesting that the F-actin filaments were broken in the smaller fragments or that they transformed to Mg-polymers. A factor with properties similar to Physarum actinin was isolated from acetone powder of sea urchin eggs.     

Expression and purification of large nebulin fragments and their interaction with actin.

cDNA clones encoding mouse skeletal muscle nebulin were expressed in Escherichia coli as thioredoxin fusion proteins and purified in the presence of 6 M urea. These fragments, called 7a and 8c, contain 28 and 19 of the weakly repeating approximately 35-residue nebulin modules, respectively. The nebulin fragments are soluble at extremely high pH, but aggregate when dialyzed to neutral pH, as assayed by centrifugation at 16,000 x g. However, when mixed with varying amounts of G-actin at pH 12 and then dialyzed to neutral pH, the nebulin fragments are solubilized in a concentration-dependent manner, remaining in the supernatant along with the monomeric actin. These results show that interaction with G-actin allows the separation of insoluble nebulin aggregates from soluble actin-nebulin complexes by centrifugation. We used this property to assay the incorporation of nebulin fragments into preformed actin filaments. Varying amounts of aggregated nebulin were mixed with a constant amount of F-actin at pH 7.0. The nebulin aggregates were pelleted by centrifugation at 5200 x g, whereas the actin filaments, including incorporated nebulin fragments, remained in the supernatant. Using this assay, we found that nebulin fragments 7a and 8c bound to actin filaments with high affinity. Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy of the actin-nebulin complexes verified that the nebulin fragments were reorganized from punctate aggregates to a filamentous form upon interaction with F-actin. In addition, we found that fragment 7a binds to F-actin with a stoichiometry of one nebulin module per actin monomer, the same stoichiometry we found in vivo. In contrast, 8c binds to F-actin with a stoichiometry of one module per two actin monomers. These data indicate that 7a can be incorporated into actin filaments to the same extent found in vivo, and suggest that shorter fragments may not bind actin filaments in the same way as the native nebulin molecule.     

Mechanism of actin polymerization in cellular ATP depletion

Cellular ATP depletion in diverse cell types results in the net conversion of monomeric G-actin to polymeric F-actin and is an important aspect of cellular injury in tissue ischemia. We propose that this conversion results from altering the ratio of ATP-G-actin and ADP-G-actin, causing a net decrease in the concentration of thymosinactin complexes as a consequence of the differential affinity of thymosin beta4 for ATP- and ADP-G-actin. To test this hypothesis we examined the effect of ATP depletion induced by antimycin A and substrate depletion on actin polymerization, the nucleotide state of the monomer pool, and the association of actin monomers with thymosin and profilin in the kidney epithelial cell line LLC-PK1. ATP depletion for 30 min increased F-actin content to 145% of the levels under physiological conditions, accompanied by a corresponding decrease in G-actin content. Cytochalasin D treatment did not reduce F-actin formation during ATP depletion, indicating that it was predominantly not because of barbed end monomer addition. ATP-G-actin levels decreased rapidly during depletion, but there was no change in the concentration of ADP-G-actin monomers. The decrease in ATP-G-actin levels could be accounted for by dissociation of the thymosin-G-actin binary complex, resulting in a rise in the concentration of free thymosin beta4 from 4 to 11 microm. Increased detection of profilin-actin complexes during depletion indicated that profilin may participate in catalyzing nucleotide exchange during depletion. This mechanism provides a biochemical basis for the accumulation of F-actin aggregates in ischemic cells.     

Interaction of actin with phalloidin: polymerization and stabilization of F-actin.

The cyclic peptide phalloidin, one of the toxic components of Amanita phalloides prevented the drop of viscosity of F-actin solutions after the addition of 0.6 M KI and inhibited the ATP splitting of F-actin during sonic vibration. The data concerning ATP splitting are consistent with the assumption (a) that only 1 out of every 3 actin units of the filaments needs to be combined with phalloidin in order to suppress the contribution of these 3 actins to the ATPase activity of the filament and (b) that all actin units of the filaments can combine with phalloidin with a very high affinity. -halloidin did not only stabilize the actin-actin bonds in the F-actin structure but it also increased the rate of polymerization of G-actin to F-actin. The ability of F-actin to activate myosin ATPase was not affected by phalloidin. The tropomyosin-troponin complex did not prevent the stabilizing effect of phalloidin on the F-actin structure.     

A simple method for the isolation of actin from myxomycete plasmodia.

A new, simple method for the isolation of actin from myxomycete plasmodia has been developed. Plasmodium myosin B was incubated at 55 degrees C for 15 min in the presence of ATP or was treated with 90% acetone. By this treatment myosin was denatured completely. Actin was then extracted with a dilute ATP and cysteine solution from the heat- or acetone-treated myosin B. The method is simple and almost pure actin was obtained in high yield. The purified G-actin polymerized to F-actin on addition of 0.1 M KCl or 2 mM MgCl2. The viscosity of the purified F-actin was 8-10 dl/g. The F-actin activated muscle myosin ATPase, and actomyosin synthesized from the F-actin and muscle myosin showed superprecipitation on addition of ATP.     

Inhibition of sliding movement of F-actin by crosslinking emphasizes the role of actin structure in the mechanism of motility

The effects of crosslinking of monomeric and polymeric actin with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC), disuccinimidyl suberate (DSS) and glutaraldehyde on the interaction with heavy meromyosin (HMM) in solution and on the sliding movement on glass-attached HMM were examined. The Vmax values of actin-activated HMM ATPase decreased in the following order: intact actin = EDC F-actin greater than DSS actin greater than glutaraldehyde F-actin = glutaraldehyde G-actin greater than EDC G-actin. The affinity of actin for HMM in the presence of ATP decreased in the following order: DSS actin greater than glutaraldehyde F-actin = glutaraldehyde G-actin greater than intact actin greater than EDC F-actin greater than EDC G-actin. However, sliding movement was inhibited only in the case of glutaraldehyde-crosslinked F and G-actin and EDC-crosslinked G-actin. Interestingly, after copolymerization of "non-motile" glutaraldehyde or EDC-crosslinked monomers with "motile" monomers of intact actin sliding of the copolymers was observed and its rate was independent of the type of crosslinked monomer, i.e. of the manner of their interaction with HMM. These data strongly indicate that inhibition of the sliding of actin by crosslinking cannot be explained entirely by changes in the Vmax value or affinity for myosin heads. We conclude that movement is generated by interaction of myosin with segments of F-actin containing a number of intact monomers, and the mechanism of inhibition involves an effect of the crosslinkers on the structure of F-actin itself.     

Characteristics of EYFP-actin and visualization of actin dynamics during ATP depletion and repletion

Disruption of theactin cytoskeleton in proximal tubule cells is a key pathophysiologicalfactor in acute renal failure. To investigate dynamic alterations ofthe actin cytoskeleton in live proximal tubule cells,LLC-PK₁₀ cells were transfected with an enhanced yellowfluorescence protein (EYFP)-actin construct, and a clone with stableEYFP-actin expression was established. Confluent live cells werestudied by confocal microscopy under physiological conditions or duringATP depletion of up to 60 min. Immunoblots of stabletransfected LLC-PK₁₀ cells confirmed the presence of EYFP-actin, accounting for 5% of total actin. EYFP-actin predominantly incorporated in stress fibers, i.e., cortical and microvillar actin as shown by excellent colocalization with Texas red phalloidin. Homogenous cytosolic distribution of EYFP-actin indicatedcolocalization with G-actin as well. Beyond previous findings, weobserved differential subcellular disassembly of F-actin structures:stress fibers tagged with EYFP-actin underwent rapid and completedisruption, whereas cortical and microvillar actin disassembled atslower rates. In parallel, ATP depletion induced the formation ofperinuclear EYFP-actin aggregates that colocalized with F-actin. DuringATP depletion the G-actin fraction of EYFP-actin substantiallydecreased while endogenous and EYFP-F-actin increased. Duringintracellular ATP repletion, after 30 min of ATP depletion, there was ahigh degree of agreement between F-actin formation from EYFP-actin andendogenous actin. Our data indicate that EYFP-actin did not alter thecharacteristics of the endogenous actin cytoskeleton or the morphologyof LLC-PK₁₀ cells. Furthermore, EYFP-actin is a suitableprobe to study the spatial and temporal dynamics of actin cytoskeletonalterations in live proximal tubule cells during ATP depletion and ATP repletion.

     

The critical concentration of actin in the presence of ATP increases with the number concentration of filaments and approaches the critical concentration of actin.ADP

F-actin at steady state in the presence of ATP partially depolymerized to a new steady state upon mechanical fragmentation. The increase in critical concentration with the number concentration of filaments has been quantitatively studied. The data can be explained by a model in which the preferred pathway for actin association-dissociation reactions at steady state in the presence of ATP involves binding of G-actin . ATP to filaments, ATP hydrolysis, and dissociation of G-actin . ADP which is then slowly converted to G-actin . ATP. As a consequence of the slow exchange of nucleotide on G-actin, the respective amounts of G-actin . ATP and G-actin . ADP coexisting with F-actin at steady state depend on the filament number concentration. G-actin coexisting with F-actin at zero number concentration of filaments would then consist of G-actin . ATP only, while the critical concentration obtained at infinite number of filaments would be that for G-actin . ADP. Values of 0.35 and 8 microM, respectively, were found for these two extreme critical concentrations for skeletal muscle actin at 20 degrees C, pH 7.8, 0.1 mM CaCl2, 1 mM MgCl2, and 0.2 mM ATP. The same value of 8 microM was directly measured for the critical concentration of G-actin . ADP polymerized in the presence of ADP and absence of ATP, and it was unaffected by fragmentation. These results have important implications for experiments in which critical concentrations are compared under conditions that change the filament number concentrations.     

Comparisons of Endothelial Cell G- and F-Actin Distribution in Situ and in Vitro

Numerous studies have described the F-actin cytoskeleton; however, little information relevant to C-actin is available. The actin pools of bovine aortic endothelial cells were examined using in situ and in vitro conditions and fluorescent probes for G-(deoxyribonuclease I.0.3 μM) or F-actin (phalloidin, 0.2 μM). Cells in situ displayed a diffuse G-actin distribution, while F-actin was concentrated in the cell periphery and in fine stress fibers that traversed some cells. Cells of subconfluent or just confluent cultures demonstrated intense fluorescence, with many F-actin stress fibers. Postconfluent cultures resembled the condition in situ; peripheral F-actin was prominent, traversing actin stress fibers were greatly reduced and fluorescent intensity was diminished. Postconfluency had little influence on G-actin. with only an enhancement in the intensity of G-actin punctate fluorescence. When post-confluent cultures were incubated with cytochalasin D (15 min; 10^--⁴ M), F-actin networks were disrupted and actin punctate and diffuse fluorescence increased. G-actin fluorescence was not altered by the incubation. Although its unstructured nature may account for the minor changes observed, the stability of the G-actin pool in the presence of notable F-actin modulations suggested that filamentous actin was the key constituent involved in these actin cytoskeletal alterations. A separate finding illustrated that the concomitant use of actin probes with image enhancement and fluorescent microscopy could reveal simultaneously the G- and F-actin pools within the same cell.     

Isolation and characterization of covalently cross-linked actin dimer

Covalently cross-linked actin dimer was isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle F-actin reacted with phenylenebismaleimide (Knight, P., and Offer, G. (1978) Biochem. J. 175, 1023-1032). The UV spectrum of the purified cross-linked actin dimer, in a nonpolymerizing buffer, was very similar to that of native F-actin and not to the spectrum of G-actin. Cross-linked actin dimer polymerized to filaments that were indistinguishable in the electron microscope from F-actin made from native G-actin and that were similar to native F-actin in their ability to activate the Mg2+-ATPase of myosin subfragment-1. The critical concentrations of polymerization of cross-linked actin dimer in 0.5 mM and 2.0 mM MgCl2, 2 to 4 microM, and 1 to 2 microM, respectively, were similar to the values for native G-actin. Cross-linked actin dimer contained 2 mol of bound nucleotide/mol of dimer. One bound nucleotide exchanged with ATP in solution with a t 1/2 of 55 min and with ADP with a t 1/2 of 5 h. The second bound nucleotide exchanged much more slowly. The more rapidly exchangeable site contained 10 to 15% bound ADP.Pi and 85 to 90% bound ATP while the second site contained much less, if any, bound ADP.Pi. Cross-linked actin dimer had an ATPase activity in 0.5 mM MgCl2 that was 7 times greater than the ATPase activity of native G-actin and that was also stimulated by cytochalasin D. These data are discussed in relation to the possible role of ATP in actin polymerization and function with the speculation that the cross-linked actin dimer may serve simultaneously as a useful model for each of the two different ends of native F-actin.     

Rabbit skeletal muscle F-actin can be stable at low ionic strength, provided trace amounts of Ca2+ are absent.

Addition of low concentrations (0.2--2.0 mM) of EGTA to rabbit skeletal muscle G-actin in the presence of ATP caused increase in viscosity. The effect is probably due to chelation of Ca2+. EGTA-polymerized actin was sedimented in the ultracentrifuge as a pellet which could be depolymerized in the presence of Ca2+ and then repolymerized. Electron microscopy indicated that formation of filamentous actin which appears to be somewhat more flexible than F-actin obtained by polymerization with KCl. The EGTA-polymerized actin was dissociated by DNAase I faster than KCl-polymerized actin. F-Actin can thus be stable also in very low ionic strength media if Ca2+ is removed whereas for G-actin to be the only form of the protein in such media, micromolar concentrations of Ca2+ must be present.     

Structural basis for actin assembly, activation of ATP hydrolysis, and delayed phosphate release

Assembled actin filaments support cellular signaling, intracellular trafficking, and cytokinesis. ATP hydrolysis triggered by actin assembly provides the structural cues for filament turnover in vivo. Here, we present the cryo-electron microscopic (cryo-EM) structure of filamentous actin (F-actin) in the presence of phosphate, with the visualization of some α-helical backbones and large side chains. A complete atomic model based on the EM map identified intermolecular interactions mediated by bound magnesium and phosphate ions. Comparison of the F-actin model with G-actin monomer crystal structures reveals a critical role for bending of the conserved proline-rich loop in triggering phosphate release following ATP hydrolysis. Crystal structures of G-actin show that mutations in this loop trap the catalytic site in two intermediate states of the ATPase cycle. The combined structural information allows us to propose a detailed molecular mechanism for the biochemical events, including actin polymerization and ATPase activation, critical for actin filament dynamics.     

The quantitation of G- and F-actin in cultured cells

An improved method to quantitate the amounts of filamentous (F-actin) and monomeric (globular) actin (G-actin) in cultured cells was developed. Cells are lysed into a myosin-containing buffer and F-actin is removed by centrifugation. The pelleted F-actin is then depolymerized to G-actin in a 1 mM ATP-containing buffer for 1 h before measuring the levels of G-actin using the DNase I inhibition assay. Partitioning of G-actin in the supernatant (greater than 95%) and recovery of actin in both fractions (greater than 85%) were measured by adding [3H]actin to cultured cells. Actin in the separated fractions is stable for at least 72 h at 0 degree C. Asynchronous monolayer cultures of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells contain 2.5 +/- 0.2% of the total protein as actin with 72.4 +/- 5.7% as F-actin. About 10% of this F-actin is not associated with the readily sedimented Triton-cytoskeleton. CHO cells grown in suspension contain 55.8% of the actin as F-actin; following plating about 90 min is required for these cells to flatten and for the F-actin level to reach the monolayer value of about 70%.     

A 133Cs nuclear magnetic resonance study of endothelial Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity: can actin regulate its activity?

Using (133)Cs+ NMR, we developed a technique to repetitively measure, in vivo, Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity in endothelial cells. The measurements were made without the use of an exogenous shift reagent, because of the large chemical shift of 1.36 +/- 0.13 ppm between intra- and extracellular Cs+. Intracellularly we obtained a spin lattice relaxation time (T1) of 2.0 +/- 0.3 s, and extracellular T1 was 7.9 +/- 0.4 s. Na(+)-K+ pump activity in endothelial cells was determined at 12 +/- 3 nmol Cs+ x min(-1) x (mg Prot)[-1] under control conditions. When intracellular ATP was depleted by the addition of 5 mM 2-deoxy-D-glucose (DOG) and NaCN to about 5% of control, the pump rate decreased by 33%. After 80 min of perfusion with 5 mM DOG and NaCN, reperfusion with control medium rapidly reestablished the endothelial membrane Cs+ gradient. Using (133)Cs+ NMR as a convenient tool, we further addressed the proposed role of actin as a regulator of Na(+)-K+ pump activity in intact cells. Two models of actin rearrangement were tested. DOG caused a rearrangement of F-actin and an increase in G-actin, with a simultaneous decrease in ATP concentration. Cytochalasin D, however, caused an F-actin rearrangement different from that observed for DOG and an increase in G-actin, and cellular ATP levels remained unchanged. In both models, the Na(+)-K(+)-pump activity remained unchanged, as measured with (133)Cs NMR. Our results demonstrate that (133)Cs NMR can be used to repetitively measure Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity in endothelial cells. No evidence for a regulatory role of actin on Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase was found.