title: Requirement for activin A and transforming growth factor--beta 1 pro-regions in homodimer assembly.
abstract: Many proteins are initially synthesized as part of a large precursor. The role of the pro-region in the biosynthesis of transforming growth factor--beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) and activin A, two structurally related disulfide-linked homodimers synthesized as large precursors, was studied. Vectors that expressed either the pro-region or the mature regions of these molecules were used in complementation experiments, only when the pro-region was coexpressed with the mature region did intracellular dimerization and secretion of biologically active homodimers occur. The pro-regions of activin A and TGF-beta 1, therefore, aid the folding, disulfide bond formation, and export of their respective homodimers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biology, Genentech, Inc., South San Francisco, CA 94080.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Mason
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006801:Humans; D007265:Inhibins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000502:physiology; D014162:Transfection; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors