Novel proteins mediate an interaction between clathrin-coated vesicles and polymerizing actin filaments.

A monoclonal antibody, A-7C11, was generated which reacts with two polypeptides of 40 kDa and 80 kDa associated with the coat proteins of purified brain clathirn-coated vesicles. The 40-kDa antigen was purified and found to display actin-binding properties. Negative-staining electron microscopy showed that one of the antigens reactive with A-7C11 appears to mediate the association of isolated clathrin-coated vesicles with assembling actin filaments in vitro. Immunofluorescence microscopy of cultured fibroblasts with A-7C11 revealed the antigens aligned with both actin filaments and as punctate structures near the plasma membrane. The data suggest that the interaction between clathrin-coated vesicles and the actin cytoskeleton is mediated by antigens identified by monoclonal antibody A-7C11.