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Actin-dependent organelle movement in squid axoplasm

Nature volume 356, pages 722–725 (1992)Cite this article

Abstract

STUDIES of organelle movement in axoplasm extruded from the squid giant axon have led to the basic discoveries of microtubule-dependent organelle motility1–3 and the characterization of the microtubule-based motor proteins kinesin and cytoplasmic dynein4,5. Rapid organelle movement in higher animal cells, especially in ,neurons, is considered to be microtubule-based. The role of actin filaments, which are also abundant in axonal cytoplasm6,7, has remained unclear. The inhibition of organelle movement in axoplasm by actin-binding proteins8–11 such as DNase I, gelsolin and synapsin I has been attributed to their ability to disorganize the microtubule domains where most of the actin-fi laments are located7. Here we provide evidence of a new type of organelle movement in squid axoplasm which is independent of both microtubules and microtubule-based motors. This movement is ATP-dependent, unidirectional, actin-dependent, and probably generated by a myosin-like motor. These results demonstrate that an actomyosin-like mechanism can be directly involved in the generation of rapid organelle transport in nerve cells.

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Author notes

  1. Dieter G. Weiss: To whom corresspondence should be addressed

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 02543, USA

    Sergei A Kuznetsov, George M. Langford & Dieter G. Weiss

  2. Institut für Zoologie, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, D-W8046, Garching, Germany

    Sergei A Kuznetsov & Dieter G. Weiss

  3. Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow, 119899, Russia

    Sergei A Kuznetsov

  4. Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire, 03755-3576, USA

    George M. Langford

Authors
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  3. Dieter G. Weiss
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Kuznetsov, S., Langford, G. & Weiss, D. Actin-dependent organelle movement in squid axoplasm. Nature 356, 722–725 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/356722a0

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