Flotillin and epidermal surface antigen define a new family of caveolae-associated integral membrane proteins.
Caveolae are plasmalemmal microdomains that are involved in vesicular trafficking and signal transduction. We have sought to identify novel integral membrane proteins of caveolae. Here we describe the identification and molecular cloning of flotillin. By several independent methods, flotillin behaves as a resident integral membrane protein component of caveolae. Furthermore, we have identified epidermal surface antigen both as a flotillin homologue and as a resident caveolar protein. Significantly, flotillin is a marker for the Triton-insoluble, buoyant membrane fraction in brain, where to date mRNA species for known caveolin gene family members have not been detected.
Bickel
P E
PE
Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142-1479, USA.
Scherer
P E
PE
Schnitzer
J E
JE
Oh
P
P
Lisanti
M P
MP
Lodish
H F
HF
D016475:3T3 Cells; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C106354:flotillins