Rat pancreas kinesin: identification and potential binding to microtubules.

We have demonstrated the presence of kinesin in the secretory pancreatic tissue using SDS-PAGE, immunoblot and immunoelectron microscopy techniques. Polyclonal antibodies were raised against the rat brain kinesin heavy chain and affinity-purified. Immunoblot studies showed that these antibodies were bound to a 116 kDa protein found in rat pancreas crude extracts and in partially purified kinesin fractions. Kinesin identification was also performed by a cosedimentation procedure based on its strong binding to microtubules in the presence of sodium fluoride. The microtubule-kinesin complex was observed by immunoelectron microscopy gold staining. The reversible association of kinesin with microtubules was generated by MgATP.