Open AccessHeterotypic and homotypic associations between ezrin and moesin, two putative membrane-cytoskeletal linking proteins.
Author(s) -
Ronald K. Gary,
Anthony Bretscher
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.90.22.10846
Subject(s) - ezrin , moesin , radixin , cytoskeleton , microbiology and biotechnology , immunoprecipitation , membrane protein , chemistry , western blot , biology , cell , biochemistry , membrane , gene
Ezrin and moesin are components of actin-rich cell surface structures that are thought to function as membrane-cytoskeletal linking proteins. Here we show that a stable complex of ezrin and moesin can be isolated from cultured cells by immunoprecipitation with specific antibodies. The capacity of these two proteins to interact directly was confirmed with a blot-overlay procedure in which biotin-tagged proteins in solution were incubated with immobilized binding partners. In addition to the heterotypic association of ezrin and moesin, homotypic binding of ezrin to ezrin and of moesin to moesin was also demonstrated in vitro. These results suggest mechanisms by which ezrin and moesin might participate in dynamic aspects of cortical cytoskeletal structure.