title: Isolation and characterization of a full-length cDNA encoding the 55-kDa rabbit zona pellucida protein.
abstract: A full-length cDNA (rc55) encoding the major rabbit zona pellucida (ZP) glycoprotein (55 kDa) has been cloned and sequenced. A lambda gt11 expression library was constructed using poly(A)+ mRNA isolated from sexually immature rabbit ovaries which contain large numbers of developing follicles. The rc55 cDNA was identified using affinity purified polyclonal antibodies specific to ZP antigens which are shared among mammalian species. The deduced amino acid sequence of the full-length rc55 clone was matched to the NH2-terminal 25-amino acid sequence obtained for this protein. The predicted amino acid sequence consists of 540 amino acids including a putative signal peptide of 18-24 residues and six potential N-glycosylation sites. The cDNA hybridizes to a 2000-base species of mRNA from rabbit ovary which is not detected in other rabbit tissues. The message is present early in ovarian follicular development and is approximately 600-fold greater in sexually immature as compared with sexually mature rabbit ovaries. This cDNA was expressed as a cro-beta-galactosidase fusion protein using the pEX expression vector. Antibodies against native rabbit ZP, affinity-purified on the recombinant 55-kDa ZP protein, were found to recognize the native rabbit ZP glycoprotein, indicating partial conservation of native epitopes in the expressed recombinant protein.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas 77030.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schwoebel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Timmons
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skinner
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Avery
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wilkins
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004527:Egg Proteins; D005260:Female; D015723:Gene Library; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology; D010957:Plasmids; D011487:Protein Conformation; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011817:Rabbits; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000502:physiology*; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins
chemical_list: D004527:Egg Proteins; D006023:Glycoproteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000072216:Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA