Superprecipitation of an actomyosin-like complex isolated from Naegleria gruberi amoebae

Amoeboid locomotion of Naegleria gruberi: the effects of cytochalasin B on cell-substratum interactions and motile behavior

The major manifestations of amoeboid locomotion in Naegleria-cytoplasmic streaming, pseudopod production, cell polarity and focal contact production-require that the actin-based cytoskeleton be extremely dynamic. Whether these features are causally linked is unclear. In an attempt to answer this question we have used the fungal product cytochalasin B (cyt B) to dissect the motility process. This drug can perturb the organisation of actin filaments both in vivo and in vitro. Essentially cyt B acts as a molecule which can cap the barbed ends of actin filaments. Not surprisingly, therefore cyt B has an effect on rates of actin polymerization and the dynamic state of actin in the cytoplasm. We have found that cyt B has a profound effect on focal contact production and breakdown. Within minutes of addition of cyt B focal contact production ceases, existing focal contacts are stabilised but cytoplasmic streaming and pseudopod production are not blocked. In conclusion it is now clear that the state of actin required for focal contact production is different from that required for pseudopod extension and cytoplasmic streaming.

Biology of Naegleria spp

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Microfilaments in Naegleria fowleri amoebae

Examination by electron microscopy has revealed 2 types of microfilament in the cytoplasm of 3 strains of axenically grown Naegleria fowleri amoebae. Thin, actin-like microfilaments 5-7 nm in diameter are randomly oriented in the nonmotile amoebae, and are concentrated near the plasma membrane. In the actively motile amoebae these microfilaments aggregate to form colateral bundles in close proximity to the plasma membrane. Thick, myosin-like microfilaments 17-19 nm in diameter also occur in the amoebae cytoplasm. The significance of these 2 kinds of microfilament in amoeboid motion is discussed.

Studies on the possible occurrence of actomyosin-like proteins in phloem

Extracts of large quantities of petioles and of isolated vascular tissues of Heracleum mantegazzianum have been analysed for actomyosin-like contractile proteins. Concentrated preparations, subjected to a standard isolation and purification procedure for actomyosin, failed to demonstrate either superprecipitation or viscosity changes in response to the addition of ATP and divalent cations. In addition, ATPase activities in phloem and xylem extracts have been fractionated by gel electrophoresis and characterised with regard to their substrate specificity, pH optima and ion requirements. Phloem extracts provide two phosphatases: one is non-specific in its substrate requirements; the other is a nucleoside triphosphatase but is stimulated only by monovalent cations and is also present in xylem extracts. All the enzymes are strongly inhibited by divalent cations and do not possess any of the characteristics of ATPases associated with contractile systems. The results are discussed in relation to the postulated involvement of contractile proteins in the translocation of sugars in phloem.

Properties of Physarum myosin purified by a potassium iodide procedure

Myosin has been purified free of actin from Physarum actomyosin by a two step adaptation of the classical potassium iodide method for depolymerizing actin. On 12% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) gels, the single major slowly moving protein band present in the calcium activated adenosine triphosphatase peak (90% pure) is associated with two fast moving bands of molecular weights of approximately 17,000 and 21,000 daltons, respectively. Densitometry shows the molar ratio of heavy chains to the 21,000 and 17,000 dalton chains on the gels to be 1:2:1. The highly purified myosin forms filaments up to 2.5 microm long in the presence of 5 mM magnesium and 0.05 M KCl. Calcium ions were not required for the formation of long filaments from this highly purified myosin. At low ionic strength (0.05 M KCl) the magnesium ATPase of the highly purified myosin is activated four- to tenfold by muscle actin. The extent of activation is a function of the actin concentration and levels off at high levels of actin. In 0.1 mM calcium salts the ATPase activity is approximately 60% of that in 1 mM EGTA. In summary, Physarum myosin is similar to a number of muscle myosins as well as to platelet and fibroblast myosin, which all possess light chains of two different molecular weights associated with the heavy chains. Under ionic conditions close to those in vivo, highly purified Physarum myosin aggregates into long filaments.