F-actin filaments

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Question 1:  What are the benefits and pitfalls of using pre-formed actin filaments?

Answer 1: Some benefits of using pre-formed actin filaments (Cat. # AKF99) are that the researcher can be assured of having highly purified and active actin filaments that have already been functionally tested by our in-house Quality Control team.  These pre-formed filaments are also ideal for those researchers new to the actin field who have not polymerized actin previously and may not appreciate the importance of ATP and divalent cations for actin polymerization.  Some pitfalls are that the pre-formed filaments fall within a target length and cannot be modified.  Additionally, because the filaments have been lyophilized, there may be denatured regions of the filament that could limit the filaments’ function.  We test the ability of filaments to activate myosin ATPase activity and we know they work well in this assay, but the filaments may not work as well for myosin motility assays.

Question 2:  What size are these filaments?

Answer 2: On average, the pre-formed actin filaments are 5-10 microns in length and 7 nm in diameter. 

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