Topography and microfilament core association of a cell surface glycoprotein of ascites tumor cell microvilli

Membrane-microfilament interactions are being investigated in microvilli isolated from 13762 rat mammary ascites tumor cells. These microvilli are covered by a sialomucin complex, composed of the sialomucin ascites sialoglycoprotein-1 (ASGP-1) and the associated concanavalin A (Con A)-binding glycoprotein ASGP-2. Limited proteolysis of the microvilli releases large, highly glycosylated fragments of ASGP-1 from the microvilli and increases the association of ASGP-2 with the Triton-insoluble microvillar microfilament core (Vanderpuye OA, Carraway CAC, Carraway, KL: Exp Cell Res 178:211, 1988). To analyze the topography of ASGP-2 in the membrane and its association with the microfilament core, microvilli were treated with proteinase K for timed intervals and centrifuged. The pelleted microvilli were extracted with Triton X-100 for the preparation of microfilament cores and Triton-soluble proteins or with 0.1 M carbonate, pH 11, for the preparation of microvillar membranes depleted of peripheral membrane proteins. These microvilli fractions were analyzed by dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis, lectin blotting with Con A and L-phytohemagglutinin, and immunoblotting with anti-ASGP-2. The earliest major proteolysis product from this procedure was a 70 kDa membrane-bound fragment. At longer times a 60 kDa released fragment, 30-40 kDa Triton-soluble fragments, and 25-30 kDa membrane- and microfilament-associated fragments were observed. Phalloidin shift analysis of microfilament-associated proteins on velocity sedimentation gradients indicated that the 25-30 kDa fragments were strongly associated with the microfilament core. From these studies we propose that ASGP-2 has a site for indirect association with the microfilament core near the membrane on a 15-20 kDa segment.