In vitro reconstitution of intermediate filaments form mammalian neurofilament triplet polypeptides.

Abstract

Intermediate filaments (IF) were reconstituted in vitro from bovine neurofilament triplet polypeptides. Neural IF, solubilized in either low salt or 8 M urea solution, assembled into IF when returned to near-physiological solution conditions. The 68,000-dalton component of the triplet, purified to homogeneity by preparative NaDodSO4 [sodium dodecyl sulfate] electrophoresis, was renatured and reassembled into short (.apprxeq. 0.05-.mu.m) .apprxeq. 10-nm-diameter filaments. The triplet polypeptides are apparently components of neural IF and the 68,000-dalton polypeptide is probably an IF structural protein.