title: Isolation, cDNA cloning, and overexpression of a 33-kD cell surface glycoprotein that binds to the globular "heads" of C1q.
abstract: This work describes the functional characterization, cDNA cloning, and expression of a novel cell surface protein. This protein designated gC1q-R, was first isolated from Raji cells and was found to bind to the globular "heads" of C1q molecules, at physiological ionic strength, and also to inhibit complement-mediated lysis of sheep erythrocytes by human serum. The NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the first 24 residues of the C1q-binding protein was determined and this information allowed the synthesis of two degenerate polymerase chain reaction primers for use in the preparation of a probe in the screening of a B cell cDNA library. The cDNA isolated, using this probe, was found to encode a pre-pro protein of 282 residues. The NH2 terminus of the protein isolated from Raji cells started at residue 74 of the predicted pre-pro sequence. The cDNA sequence shows that the purified protein has three potential N-glycosylation residues and is a highly charged, acidic molecule. Hence, its binding to C1q may be primarily but not exclusively due to ionic interactions. The "mature" protein, corresponding to amino acid residues 74-282 of the predicted pre-pro sequence, was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and was purified to homogeneity. This recombinant protein was also able to inhibit the complement-mediated lysis of sheep erythrocytes by human serum and was shown to be a tetramer by gel filtration in nondissociating conditions. Northern blot and RT-PCR studies showed that the C1q-binding protein is expressed at high levels in Raji and Daudi cell lines, at moderate levels in U937, Molt-4, and HepG2 cell lines, and at a very low level in the HL60 cell line. However, it is not expressed in the K562 cell line. Comparison of gC1q-R NH2-terminal sequence with that of the receptor for the collagen-like domain of C1q (cC1q-R) showed no similarity. Furthermore, antibodies to gC1q-R or an 18-amino acid residue-long NH2-terminal synthetic gC1q-R peptide did not cross-react with antibodies to cC1q-R. Anti-gC1q-R immunoblotted a 33-kD Raji cell membrane protein, whereas anti cC1q-R recognized a molecule of approximately 60 kD. The NH2-terminal sequence of gC1g-R appears to be displayed extracellularly since anti-gC1g-R peptide reacted with surface molecules on lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and platelets, as assessed by flow cytometric and confocal laser scanning microscopic analyses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, State University of New York, Stony Brook 11794-8161.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ghebrehiwet
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Peerschke
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002460:Cell Line; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015922:Complement C1q / Q000378:metabolism*; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000502:physiology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006461:Hemolysis; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D007700:Kinetics; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011951:Receptors, Complement / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012756:Sheep; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: C087299:C1QBP protein, human; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D011951:Receptors, Complement; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C032402:complement 1q receptor; D015922:Complement C1q