title: A complement component C3-like protein from the tunicate, Styela plicata.
abstract: This study identifies a complement component C3-like protein in the solitary tunicate, Styela plicata. Three different polyclonal antibodies raised against C3 molecules from two species (humans and the tunicate, Halocynthia roretzi) were used to identify the C3-like protein in S. plicata hemolymph. The C3 cross-reactive protein is a 170kDa heterodimer composed of polypeptides (116 and 80kDa) that have molecular weights comparable to those of C3alpha and C3beta from other species. Amino acid sequencing and amino acid composition analysis confirmed that the C3-like protein from S. plicata is closely related to C3 from H. roretzi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, North Ryde, Australia. draftos@rna.bio.mq.edu.au
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Raftos
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robbins
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peters
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D019281:Dimerization; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D003176:Complement C3