title: The protein encoded by a growth arrest-specific gene (gas6) is a new member of the vitamin K-dependent proteins related to protein S, a negative coregulator in the blood coagulation cascade.
abstract: A set of growth arrest-specific genes (gas) whose expression is negatively regulated after serum induction has previously been described (C. Schneider, R. M. King, and L. Philipson, Cell 54:787-793, 1988). The detailed analysis of one of them, gas6, is reported here, gas6 mRNA (2.6 kb) is abundantly expressed in serum-starved (48 h in 0.5% fetal calf serum) NIH 3T3 cells but decreases dramatically after fetal calf serum or basic fibroblast growth factor stimulation. The human homolog of gas6 was also cloned and sequenced, revealing a high degree of homology and a similar pattern of expression in IMR90 human fibroblasts. Computer analysis of the protein encoded by murine and human gas6 cDNAs showed significant homology (43 and 44% amino acid identity, respectively) to human protein S, a negative coregulator in the blood coagulation pathway. By using an anti-human Gas6 monospecific affinity-purified antibody, we show that the biosynthetic level of human Gas6 fully reflects mRNA expression in IMR90 human fibroblasts. This finding thus defines a new member of vitamin K-dependent proteins that is expressed in many human and mouse tissues and may be involved in the regulation of a protease cascade relevant in growth regulation.
authors.affiliation: International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Manfioletti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brancolini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Avanzi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D002455:Cell Division; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014812:Vitamin K; D000099255:Growth Arrest-Specific Protein 6
chemical_list: D004247:DNA; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014812:Vitamin K; D000099255:Growth Arrest-Specific Protein 6