title: Human tissue-type plasminogen activator is related to albumin and alpha-fetoprotein.
abstract: Using a computer program designed to detect evolutionary relationships between proteins, I find that residues 72-110 of the mature sequence of human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and 39 residues at the carboxy terminus of human albumin have a comparison score that is 8.8 standard deviation units higher than that obtained with a comparison of randomized sequences of these proteins. The probability (p) of getting this score by chance is approximately 10(-18), indicating that part of t-PA and albumin are derived from a common ancestor. I also find that alpha-fetoprotein, a relative of albumin is related to t-PA. Part of this region on t-PA has been previously shown to be related to epidermal growth factor. t-PA, albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, and epidermal growth factor have diverse biological activities. The finding that these proteins are related suggests some new approaches for studying their functions.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Baker
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis*; D012984:Software; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D012709:Serum Albumin; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors; D010960:Plasminogen Activators