Actin filament capping protein from bovine brain.

An actin filament capping protein has been purified from bovine brain. The protein has a native mol. wt. of 63 kilodaltons (kd) with subunits of 36 kd and 31 kd and is globular in shape. It nucleates actin polymerization, inhibits filament elongation and filament interactions, and decreases the steady state viscosity of F-actin in substoichiometric amounts (molar ration 1:1000). In addition, the protein increases the critical concentration for actin polymerization. Neither Ca2+ nor calmodulin affects it action. All these effects can be explained by the binding of the protein to the 'barbed' end of actin filaments leading to a blockade of actin monomer addition at the preferred growing end. This is directly demonstrated by electron microscopy. Concerning the polypeptide composition, Ca2+-independence, mode, and stoichiometry of actin interaction, the protein is similar to the capping protein, previously isolated from Acanthamoeba.