Simple and rapid method for purification of vinculin from bovine aorta

A new rapid purification procedure has been developed for mammalian smooth muscle vinculin. Bovine aorta vinculin has been purified by a two-step procedure employing hydrophobic chromatography on phenyl-Sepharose and gel filtration. This procedure should be particularly useful for purifying vinculin from tissues in which it is present in a relatively low concentration. In addition, the new purification protocol provides highly pure vinculin free from active contaminants which reduce the low-shear viscosity of F-actin solution.