Cytoskeletal actin is organized into bundles and networks by actin crosslinking proteins. T-fimbrin (70 kDa) is the smallest member of a family of these proteins and binds actin filaments as a monomer. A 40 kDa fragment of T-fimbrin (called N375) contains two actin binding domains, two cysteines available for labeling (one significantly more reactive than the other), and an x-ray structure for much of it. Their cryoEM map shows F-actin decorated with N375 to 28A resolution. A Nanogold tag on N375 would determine its orientation and help align the x-ray and EM data. The N375 was labeled with Nanogold and examined in the STEM. The labeling seemed quite good, though the protein is too small to appear interesting as a freeze-dried specimen. Hopeflilly, it will be helpftil for their cryoEM analyses.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 101 publications