title: Hamster female protein. A new Pentraxin structurally and functionally similar to C-reactive protein and amyloid P component.
abstract: Female protein (FP), a serum protein present in normal female hamsters was found to be similar to acute-phase reactant, C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid P component (SAP) in the following ways: (a) hamster FP complexed with phosphorylcholine (PC) in a Ca++-dependent fashion as shown by its isolation from serum by affinity chromatography with PC-Sepharose and selective elution with free PC or EDTA; (b) electron microscopy of FP indicated a pentameric structure similar in size and appearance to other pentraxins; (c) the parent molecule of FP (150,000 mol wt) was composed of five noncovalantly assembled subunits of 30,000 mol wt; and (d) the amino acid analysis and terminal NH2 sequence of FP clearly showed homology with SAP-CRP. Although FP evolved from an ancestral gene common to SAP and CRP, and shares functional, morphological and structural properties with these acute-phase proteins, the biological homology of FP appears quite diverse as this protein is a prominent serum constituent (1-2 mg/ml) of normal female hamsters and under hormonal control (testosterone suppression) in males.
mesh_terms: D000510:Alpha-Globulins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000596:Amino Acids; D000682:Amyloid; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D006224:Cricetinae; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D008647:Mesocricetus; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component
chemical_list: D000510:Alpha-Globulins; D000596:Amino Acids; D000682:Amyloid; D000683:Serum Amyloid P-Component; C030974:female protein, hamster; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein