Abstract
The union of sperm and egg is a special membrane fusion event that gives a signal to begin development. We have hypothesized that proteins mediating cell-cell fusion events resemble viral fusion proteins and have shown that PH-30, a sperm surface protein involved in sperm-egg fusion, shares biochemical characteristics with viral fusion proteins. We report here the complementary DNA and deduced amino-acid sequences of the mature alpha and beta subunits of PH-30. Both are type-I integral membrane glycoproteins. The alpha subunit contains a putative fusion peptide typical of viral fusion proteins and the beta subunit contains a domain related to a family of soluble integrin ligands found in snake venoms. Thus, the PH-30 alpha/beta complex resembles many viral fusion proteins in both its membrane topology and its predicted binding and fusion functions.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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ADAM Proteins
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Amino Acid Sequence
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Animals
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Base Sequence
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DNA / chemistry
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DNA / genetics
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Female
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Fertilins
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Glycosylation
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Guinea Pigs
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Integrins / chemistry*
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Integrins / metabolism
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Macromolecular Substances
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Male
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Membrane Glycoproteins / chemistry*
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Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
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Membrane Glycoproteins / physiology
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Metalloendopeptidases*
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Molecular Sequence Data
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Molecular Weight
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Protein Conformation
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Snake Venoms / chemistry
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Sperm-Ovum Interactions / physiology*
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Viral Fusion Proteins / chemistry
Substances
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Integrins
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Macromolecular Substances
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Membrane Glycoproteins
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Snake Venoms
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Viral Fusion Proteins
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DNA
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ADAM Proteins
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Fertilins
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Metalloendopeptidases
Associated data
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GENBANK/Z11719
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GENBANK/Z11720