The role of spectrin-dependent ATPase in erythrocyte shape maintenance.

The paper reports on the relationship between spectrin-dependent ATPase and erythrocyte shape. It can be seen from various experiments that different treatment of erythrocyte membrane which brings about alteration in activity of spectrin-dependent ATPase, also changes erythrocyte shape. We suggest that spectrin-dependent ATPase is a large actomyosin-like protein complex with some characteristics of contractile protein which, under suitable conditions, causes a physiological tension (contraction) of the membrane. Energetically rich state of spectrin-dependent ATPase seems to be responsible for this phenomenon.