Figure 3
A representative 3-dimensional rendering of an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) image of the organizational framework of the mucin interactome: the mucin interactome was isolated as described in the Methods and deposited onto mica and observed in a Cypher AFM. Glycosylated domains/chains of the mucins are shown in green and measured approximately 1–2 nm in height. The brown color represents protein regions of the framework, including mucin’s naked protein domains, as well as small mucin-binding proteins, which range in height from 2 to 5 nm (black arrows, small nodes). Larger brown protein nodes with 5–12 nm heights (red arrows) in the framework indicate the presence of more than one, or larger, and/or more hydrophobic proteins on the nodes. (a) An oligomerized structure of a protein, possibly DMBT1, incorporated into the mucus network by interacting with mucin chains. (b) A compact/unfolded mucin form with a large globular node in the center. Scale bars: left 250 nm, insets 100 nm.
