The characterization of an acidic calmodulin-binding protein in brain cytoskeleton and membrane fractions

Abstract

One of the most abundant acidic proteins in rat brain has an Mr of 68,000 and a pI of 5.6 (68K 5.6 protein) when analysed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. The 68K 5.6 protein was found in large relative amounts in brain cytoskeleton preparations and in membrane and supernatant fractions. High-salt washing and proteolytic digestion did not remove this protein from the membrane elements. The 68K 5.6 protein was also found in the microtubule-associated protein fraction of purified microtubules and was present in large relative amounts in preparations of intermediate-filament proteins. The 68K 5.6 protein binds to calmodulin in the presence of Ca2+ ions, and we found it to be an abundant acidic calmodulin-binding protein in brain tissue.