Small-angle X-ray scattering structural insights into alternative pathway of actin oligomerization associated with inactivated state

In addition to the well-known monomeric globular (G-) and polymeric fibrillar (F-) forms, actin can exist in the so-called inactivated form (I-actin). Hsp70 chaperon, prefoldin, and CCT chaperonin are required to obtain native globular state. In contrast, I-actin is spontaneously formed in the absence of intracellular folding machinery. I-actin can be obtained from G-actin by elimination of divalent ion, incubation in presence of small concentrations of denaturants, and by heat exposure. Since G-actin is a quasi-stationary, thermodynamically unstable form, it can gradually transform into inactivated state in the absence of chelating/denaturating agents or heat exposure, but the transition is much slower. I-actin was shown to associate into oligomers up to the molecular weight of 14–16 G-actin monomers, though the structure of these oligomers remains uncharacterized. This study employs small-angle X-ray scattering to reveal novel insights into the oligomerization process of such spontaneously formed inactivated actin. These oligomers are differentiated from F-actin through comparative analysis, highlighting a unique oligomerization pathway.