Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Related amino acid sequences in neurofilaments and non-neuronal intermediate filaments

Nature volume 296, pages 448–450 (1982)Cite this article

Abstract

The major constituents of mammalian neurofilaments are the three triplet proteins of molecular weight 200,000 (200K), 145K and 68K, which also co-migrate in slow axonal transport1–5. Partial amino acid sequence data6 and chemical cleavage patterns7,8 indicate that various cell-specific non-neuronal intermediate filament proteins having molecular weights between 40,000 and 70,000 are structurally related, consistent with a common filament morphology. Here we extend this principle to the neurofilament 68K triplet protein, NF68. We show that NF68, muscle-specific desmin (52K) and mesenchymally derived vimentin (55K) are related proteins. Direct amino acid sequence analysis of a uniquely positioned marker peptide (5K) shows that in this region, NF68 shows ∼42% sequence identity with vimentin and desmin, which have ∼70% identity. These results are discussed with respect to neurofilament organization.

Access through your institution
Buy or subscribe

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access through your institution

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hoffmann, P. N. & Lasek, R. H. J. Cell Biol 66, 351–366 (1975).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Liem, R. K. H., Yen, S. H., Solomon, G. D. & Shelanski, M. L. J. Cell Biol. 79, 637–645 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Mori, H., Komiya, Y. & Kurokawa, M. J. Cell Biol. 82, 174–184 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Willard, M. & Simon, C. J. Cell Biol. 89, 198–205 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Anderton, B. H., Ayers, M. & Thorpe, R. FEBS Lett. 96, 159–163 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Geisler, N. & Weber, K. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 78, 4120–4123 (1981).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Steinert, P. M. J. molec. Biol. 123, 49–70 (1978).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Steinert, P. M., Idler, W. W. & Goldman, R. D. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 4534–4538 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Jacobsen, G. R., Schaffer, M. H., Stark, G. R. & Vanaman, T. C. J. biol. Chem. 248, 6583–6591 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Geisler, N. & Weber, K. J. molec. Biol. 151, 565–571 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Geisler, N. & Weber, K. FEBS Lett. 125, 253–256 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Geisler, N. & Weber, K. Eur. J. Biochem. 111, 425–433 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Ommen, G. S., Fontana, A. & Anfinsen, C. B. J. biol. Chem. 245, 1895–1902 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Franke, W. W., Schmid, E., Osborn, M. & Weber, K. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 5034–5038 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Bennett, G. S. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 4364–4368 (1978).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Osborn, M., Geisler, N., Shaw, G., Sharp, G. & Weber, K. Cold Spring Harb. Symp. quant. Biol. (in the press).

  17. Anderton, B. H. J. Muscle Res. Cell Motility 2, 141–166 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Sharp, G., Shaw, G. & Weber, K. Expl Cell Res. 137, 403–413 (1982).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Shaw, G. & Weber, K. Expl Cell Res. 136, 119–125 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Dahl, D. FEBS Lett. 111, 152–156 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Yen, S. H. & Fields, K. L. J. Cell Biol. 88, 115–126 (1981).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Pruss, R. M., Mirsky, R., Raff, M. C., Anderton, B. H. & Thorpe, R. J. Cell Biol. 87, 187 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Delacourte, A., Filliatreau, G., Botteau, F., Biserte, G. & Schrevel, J. Biochem. J. 191, 543–546 1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Timasheff, S. N. & Grisham, L. M. A. Rev. Biochem. 49, 565–591 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Gilbert, D. S., Newby, B. J. & Anderton, B. H. Nature 256, 586–589 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Henderson, L. E., Oroszlan, S. & Konigsberg, W. Analyt. Biochem. 93, 153–157 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, D-3400, Göttingen, FRG

    Norbert Geisler, Uwe Plessmann & Klaus Weber

Authors
  1. Norbert Geisler
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Uwe Plessmann
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Klaus Weber
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Geisler, N., Plessmann, U. & Weber, K. Related amino acid sequences in neurofilaments and non-neuronal intermediate filaments. Nature 296, 448–450 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/296448a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/296448a0

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing