Antibody-decorated dystrophin molecule of murine skeletal myofiber as seen by freeze-etching electron microscopy.

Dystrophin is the protein product of Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene which is defective in this genetic disorder. Here we identified ultrastructurally the dystrophin molecule from the various cytoskeletons at the cytoplasmic surface of murine myofiber plasma membrane by using quick-freeze, deep-etch, rotary-shadow replica of anti-dystrophin antibody-decorated muscle samples. The molecule was really cytoskeleton and incorporated in the meshwork of the plasma membrane-associated cytoskeletons. The molecule appeared to connect directly and/or through another cytoskeletal molecule with actin filament.