In this study we have used several complementary techniques to isolate and characterize a 72-kD
polypeptide that is tightly associated with a major mouse T-
lymphoma membrane glycoprotein, gp 85 (a
wheat germ agglutinin-
binding protein), in a 16 S complex. These two
proteins do not separate in the presence of high
salt but can be dissociated by treatment with 2 M
urea. Further analysis indicates that the 72-kD
protein has
ankyrin-like properties based on the following criteria: (a) it cross-reacts with specific
antibodies raised against erythrocyte and brain
ankyrin; (b) it displays a
peptide mapping pattern and a pI (between 6.5 and 6.8) similar to that of the 72-kD proteolytic fragment of erythrocyte
ankyrin; (c) it competes with erythrocyte ghost membranes (
spectrin-depleted preparations) for
spectrin binding; and (d) it binds to purified
spectrin and
fodrin molecules. Most importantly, in intact
lymphoma cells this
ankyrin-like
protein is localized directly underneath the plasma membrane and is found to be preferentially accumulated beneath receptor cap structures as well as associated with a membrane-cytoskeleton complex preparation. It is proposed that the
ankyrin-like 72-kD
protein may play an important role in linking certain
surface glycoprotein(s) to
fodrin which, in turn, binds to actin filaments required for lymphocyte cap formation.