Structural states of dictyostelium myosin.

Myosin purified from Dictyostelium amoebae has approximately 10% by weight of RNA associated with it, unless specific steps (DEAE cellulose chromatography or RNase digestion) are taken to remove it. This RNA has significant effects on the structural states formed by the myosin at low ionic strength in the presence of Mg2+. Rapid precipitation of RNA-free myosin by dilution generates bipolar thick filaments (540 nm long, 33 nm thick), often with a bare zone and a 15-nm transverse repeat. Rapid precipitation of myosin with copurified RNA yields linear aggregates of bipolar filaments, showing some lateral association. Slow precipitation of RNA-free myosin by dialysis yields very long filaments or ribbons (greater than 5 micrometer, 30--60 nm wide) in which the myosin may be packed diagonally across the filament, similar to the "side-polar" aggregates formed by other nonmuscle myosins and by smooth muscle myosin (Craig R, Megerman J: J Cell Biol 75:990, 1977; Hinssen H, D'Haese J, Small JV, Sobieszek A: J Ultrastruct Res 64:282, 1978). Slow precipitation of myosin with copurified RNA generates linear filaments with repeat intervals of 290 and 650 nm. Other polyanions were tested for their effects on myosin aggregation. Total RNA and ribosomal RNA from Dictyostelium, when added to RNA-free myosin, also induced the extensive linear aggregation seen with the copurified RNA/myosin complex, although higher concentrations of RNA were required to obtain quantitatively the same effect. DNA and heparin were also effective inducers of linear aggregation, whereas homopolymers of nucleotides and of acidic or basic amino acids were poorly effective.