The Ca2+ sensitivity of liver gelactin

The Ca2+ sensitivity of liver gelactin-induced actin gelation was reinvestigated by low-shear viscosity using the falling-ball technique. By this technique, we demonstrate that the gelatin of actin by gelactin can be influenced by the presence of calcium ions depending on the concentrations of both proteins, actin and gelactin. At low concentrations of gelactin, the gelatin of actin exhibits a bell-shaped dependency on free calcium ion concentration, being stimulated between pCa 8 and 6 and inhibited at pCa below 5.5, while at high gelactin concentrations the calcium sensitivity of actin gelation is apparently abolished. Although the sensitivity observed in the physiological range of calcium concentrations may be of importance in vivo, the sensitivity observed at higher calcium concentrations more probably reflects the state of actin polymerization in different ionic conditions. These results confirm our previous conclusions on the peculiarity of gelactin as an F-actin cross-linker.