title: Physical characterization of the MUC5AC mucin: a highly oligomeric glycoprotein whether isolated from cell culture or in vivo from respiratory mucous secretions.
abstract: We have isolated the high-M(r) mucins from growth medium of the early stage of an HT-29 cell culture by gel chromatography and isopycnic density gradient centrifugation. The mucins (buoyant density 1.34-1.44 g/ml) were reactive with an anti-peptide antiserum (MAN-5ACI) raised against a sequence from within the MUC5AC mucin. Similar antisera raised against the MUC2 and MUC5B mucins were not reactive. The MUC5AC reduced-mucin subunits exhibited a homogeneous charge distribution on anion-exchange chromatography, but appeared as two bands, one major and one more minor, after agarose gel electrophoresis. The unreduced mucins had an average M(r) in excess of 40 MDa and were visualized in the electron microscope as large, fine filamentous threads (many microns in length) that after reduction were greatly reduced in size (number average length 570 nm). Agarose gel electrophoresis of unreduced MUC5AC mucins identified a major band just entering the gel with evidence of a 'ladder' of faster-migrating minor bands. Partial reduction of the mucins increased the proportion of the faster bands and at least 16 could be discriminated. M(r) measurements showed that these bands differed by single monomer units. The mucins behaved as very stiff extended structures in solution and this characteristic might explain the poor separation of different-sized oligomers in sedimentation-rate experiments. The cell-culture mucin preparation had similar characteristics of charge and buoyant density to MUC5AC mucins from respiratory secretions in vivo. In addition the MUC5AC mucin from respiratory tract secretions exhibited similar behaviour, reduced and unreduced on agarose gel electrophoresis, indicating that the mucin has a similar molecular phenotype in vivo and in vitro.
authors.affiliation: The Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research, Division of Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, 2.205, Stopford Building, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, U.K. jsheehan@fs1.scg.man.ac.uk
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sheehan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brazeau
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kutay
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pigeon
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kirkham
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Thornton
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002499:Centrifugation, Density Gradient; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D003470:Culture Media; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D007422:Intestines; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D009077:Mucins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D007106:Immune Sera; C524678:MUC5AC protein, human; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D009077:Mucins