Further characterization of a brain high molecular weight actin-binding protein (BABP): interaction with brain actin and ultrastructural studies.

Crude actomyosin fraction from porcine brain contained a large amount of high molecular weight actin-binding protein (BABP). The molar ratio of BABP to actin (BABP/actin) in the fraction was estimated to be 0.22. From this fraction, BABP and actin were solubilized with a molar ratio of 0.25, suggesting the existence of an interaction between BABP and brain actin. BABP was finally purified to 90% purity. The purified BABP was negatively stained and observed by electron microscopy; it appeared to be a slender, flexible, two-stranded molecule whose contour length was about 200 nm. The structure was very similar to those of fodrin and other high molecular weight actin-binding proteins such as filamin, spectrin, and ABP. Lattice cage-like structures composed of BABP molecules were occasionally observed at high BABP concentrations. The addition of BABP to actin filaments resulted in the appearance of many branching, filamentous bundles. The electron microscopic observations suggested that a single BABP molecule could crosslink actin filaments, that is, one BABP molecule has two actin binding sites.