The association of alpha-actinin with the plasma membrane.

The role of alpha-actinin in the attachment of actin to plasma membranes has been investigated. Specific antibody staining of SDS gels has indicated that alpha-actinin is a major component in isolated plasma membranes prepared from three different cell types by two different procedures. Using specific extraction conditions, most of the alpha-actinin can be selectively extracted from the membranes with relatively little parallel release of actin. This selective dissociation of alpha-actinin from the plasma membrane leads us to conclude that alpha-actinin is present in these membrane preparations, because it is bound to actin, and that alpha-actinin does not form a direct link between actin and the membrane.