title: Characterization of a gene encoding a cysteine-rich keratin associated protein synthesized late in rabbit hair follicle differentiation.
abstract: Many different cysteine-rich proteins are synthesized during hair follicle differentiation, forming part of the interstitial matrix between bundles of intermediate filaments. We have isolated a rabbit gene (rKAP4L), a member of a multigene family that encodes a small cysteine-rich hair keratin associated protein. This is the first complete gene sequence for this family. The rKAP4L gene is expressed in the cortex of rabbit pelage hair follicles at a late stage of hair follicle differentiation, well after the synthesis of the other major hair proteins, the intermediate filament and glycine/tyrosine-rich keratin associated proteins, has commenced. The protein contains 36 mol % cysteine, with a molecular size of 13593 daltons, and its sequence appears to be based on a pentapeptide repeat. It is predicted to adopt a folded conformation characterized by beta-turns interspersed with short stretches of beta-sheet or random coil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arthur
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nesci
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003545:Cysteine / Q000737:chemistry; D015870:Gene Expression; D006197:Hair / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007633:Keratins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D011817:Rabbits; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D007633:Keratins; D003545:Cysteine