54Mn2+ as a tracer of the polymerization of actin. Intermediate oligomers condense to give F-actin.

Mg2+, at submicromolar concentrations, is needed for the nucleation of actin [Maruyama (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 1060-1062]. I show here that Mn2+ fulfils the same function. It binds to oligomers present in the ATP-G-actin solutions with a ratio of 2-3 Mn2+ ions per 100 actin monomers and with an association constant of 0.66 X 10(10) M-1 at pH 8.2 at 25 degrees C. The time course of the binding of Mn2+ to polymerizing actin is not affected by the initial concentration of the protein. Analysis of the distribution of the binding shows that, both in the large oligomeric species and in the polymers, 1 Mn2+ ion is bound for every 14-25 actin monomers, whereas in the smaller oligomeric species 1 Mn2+ ion is bound for every 4 actin monomers. The proposal is made that Mn2+ stabilizes actin nuclei and decreases the concentration of the monomers at the steady state. It is also proposed that, at least in some experimental conditions, the direct condensation of oligomers of intermediate length is an effective mechanism of F-actin formation.