AN ACTIN MONOMER BINDING-ACTIVITY LOCALIZES TO THE CARBOXYL-TERMINAL HALF OF THE SACCHAROMYCES-CEREVISIAE CYCLASE-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae adenylyl cyclase complex contains at least two subunits, a 200-kDa catalytic subunit and a 70-kDa cyclase-associated protein, CAP (also called Srv2p). Genetic studies suggested two roles for CAP, one as a positive regulator of cAMP levels in yeast and a second role as a cytoskeletal regulator. We present evidence showing that CAP sequesters monomeric actin (K-d in the range of 0.5-5 mu M), decreasing actin incorporation into actin filaments. Anti-CAP monoclonal antibodies co-immunoprecipitate a protein with a molecular size of about 46 kDa. When CAP was purified from yeast using an anti-CAP monoclonal antibody column, the 46-kDa protein co-purified with a stoichiometry of about 1:1 with CAP. Western blots identified the 46-kDa protein as yeast actin. CAP also bound to muscle actin in vitro in immunoprecipitation assays and falling ball viscometry assays. Experiments with pyrene-labeled actin demonstrated that CAP sequesters actin monomers. The actin monomer binding activity is localized to the carboxyl-terminal half of CAP. Together, these data suggest that yeast CAP regulates the yeast cytoskeleton by sequestering actin monomers.