Isolation and characterization of myosin from the adrenal medulla.

A protein with adenosine triphosphatase activity was isolated from bovine adrenal medulla and subsequently purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and agarose gel filtration using a discontinuous two-buffer system. Characterization of this protein by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate, by assay of the activity of Ca2+, K(+)-EDTA and Mg2+ dependent adenosine triphosphatases by amino acid analysis and by electron microscopy has shown that the adrenal medullary myosin closely resembles those myosins isolated from muscle and other non-muscle cells. The possible roles of myosin in the adrenal medulla are discussed.