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PMID: 6952208 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Polymerization of the ninth component of complement (C9): formation of poly(C9) with a tubular ultrastructure resembling the membrane attack complex of complement.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 79 ·No. 2 ·1982-01-00 ·Pages 574-8

Podack ER, Tschopp J

Abstract

The ninth component of complement (C9) has a marked propensity to polymerize. C9 polymers [poly(C9)] formed spontaneously in Veronal-buffered saline upon incubation of purified C9 for 64 hr at 37 degrees C or within 2 hr at 46--56 degrees C. Poly(C9) formed at 37 degrees C was visualized by electron microscopy as a tubular structure with an internal diameter of 110 A and a length of 160 A. Its ultrastructure suggested a dodecameric composition and resembled that of the membrane attack complex of complement. The wider end of the tubular structure was formed by an approximately 30-A-thick torus with inner and outer diameters of 110 A and 220 A, respectively. Because the dimensions of C9 within poly(C9) were 160 x 55 A (maximal) and 20 A (minimal) and because monomeric C9 has dimensions of approximately 80 x 55 A, it is proposed that monomeric C9 unfolds during polymerization into tubules. Polymerization also occurred upon treatment of C9 for 1 hr at 37 degrees C with 0.6 M guanidine . HCl, 0.1 M octyl glucoside, or 1.5% sodium deoxycholate. Guanidine . HCl-induced C9 polymers consisted of elongated highly curved strands 55--80 A wide, suggesting that these polymers were formed by globular C9 that had not unfolded.

MeSH Terms
Cell Membrane Permeability Complement C9/metabolism Hemolysis Humans Membrane Proteins/metabolism Microscopy, Electron Protein Binding Protein Conformation
Chemicals
Complement C9 Membrane Proteins
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Podack E R
Tschopp J
References (37)
37 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Abbr.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
ISSN
0027-8424
DOI
10.1073/pnas.79.2.574
Published
1982-01-00
Pages
574-8
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
7505876
PMCID
PMC345787
Subset
IM
Grants
NIAID NIH HHS · AI 67007 · United States
NHLBI NIH HHS · HL 16411 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.79.2.574 PMC Full Text View journal details
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