Dystrobrevin associates with α1- and β1-syntrophins in Δ71–74/mdx skeletal muscle. (A) Schematic comparing the structure of the cysteine-rich COOH-terminal region of normal dystrophin, of the dystrophin transgene lacking exons 71–74, and the corresponding structure of dystrobrevin. The locations of the sequences used for preparation of dystrobrevin antipeptide antibodies DB308 and DB433 are indicated by bars. H1, H2, and WW, position of helix 1 and helix 2 and the WW domain, respectively. (B) Immunofluorescence labeling for α1-syntrophin (α1, Ab SYN17), β1-syntrophin (β1, Ab SYN37), and dystrobrevin labeling (Db, mAb 13H1), with the corresponding labeling with α-bungarotoxin (Tx) shown to the right of each image. The labeling for β2-syntrophin (β2, Ab SYN28) and α-bungarotoxin (Tx) was reduced in size and intensity compared to control mice. (C) Dystrobrevin complexes were immunoaffinity purified from Triton extracts of Δ71–74/mdx skeletal muscle with antipeptide dystrobrevin antibodies that recognize either a central region (Ab DB308, left lane) or the linker between the two coiled-coils (Ab DB433, right lane). Sample loadings were adjusted for approximately equal amounts of dystrobrevin immunoreactivity in each lane (Db, mAb 13H1). Complexes purified with Ab DB433 contained dramatically lower amounts of dystrophin, as expected if this antibody inhibits a coiled-coil interaction between dystrophin and dystrobrevin; see text (Dys, Mandys-8). The total amount of syntrophin (pan-Syn, mAb SYN1351) purified with dystrobrevins was approximately the same with either Db antibody. Both α1-syntrophin (α1-syn, Ab SYN17) and β1-syntrophin (β1-syn, Ab SYN37) copurified with dystrobrevin, independent of the presence of dystrophin. Utrophin and β2-syntrophin were detectable only with much longer exposure times.