A nerve terminal anchorage protein from electric organ.

• DOI: 10.1083/jcb.103.2.509
• Publication Date: 2004-05-15T00:18:20Z
• Authors: S S Carlson; P Caroni; R B Kelly
• Keywords: Immunoelectron microscopy

The nerve terminal and the postsynaptic receptor-containing membranes of electric organ are both linked to basal lamina that runs between them. We have identified an extracellular matrix protein whose physical properties suggest it anchors lamina. was because shares epitope with a proteoglycan component synaptic vesicles. It too behaves like proteoglycan. is solubilized difficulty from fractions, elutes DEAE Sephacel at pH 4.9 only high ionic strength, binds laminin affinity column which can be eluted heparin. Under denaturing conditions sediments rapidly has large excluded volume although included in Sephacryl S-1000 columns. This large, highly charged molecule readily reconstituted into liposomes consistent presence hydrophobic tail. By immunoelectron microscopy antigen found vesicles on plasma membrane terminal. Since this first described links matrix, we propose calling anchorage one (TAP-1).