Paramyosin: molecular length and assembly.

Paratnyosin paracrystails formned with divalent cations have a 725-angstrom axial period and show simple negative staining patterns in the electron microscope. The structure of the aggregates is interpreted in terms of an array of polar molecules about 1275 angstroms long, with "gaps" and "overlaps" in the molecular assembly. Antiparallel relatiotns between molecules lead to the assembly of paracrystals with opposite polarity at either end. Implications of the in vitro structure for filaments containing paramyosin in muscle are discussed.