Biochemical and immunological characterization of the microfibrillar ecto-endoplasmic boundary in the ciliate Isotricha prostoma.

The cytoplasm of the ciliated protozoan Isotricha prostoma is compartmented by a continuous fibrillar system made up of a double layer of 4 nm-diameter filaments: the microfibrillar ecto-endoplasmic boundary (EEB). Isolation of this structure after treatment of the cells in a buffer of low ionic strength in the presence of the detergent Triton X-100 evidenced connections linking the two filamentous layers. One dimensional electrophoresis on SDS-polyacrylamide gel of EEB fractions revealed several major proteins with apparent molecular weights between 11 and 23 K. Of these, two neighboring bands of MW22 and 23 K were removed from gels and used as antigens to obtain rabbit antibodies. The antiserum obtained reacted specifically with injected proteins as shown by the technique of immunological detection on nitrocellulose sheets using the peroxidase reaction product. Electron microscopy localization of the antigens with anti-IgG coupled with colloidal gold showed significant labeling of the EEB within the cortex of Isotricha permeabilized with Triton X-100. We hope that the 22-23 K antiserum will prove to be a useful tool for the comparative study of other non-actin filament systems in Protozoa.