Two constituents of the initiation complex of the mannan-binding lectin activation pathway of complement are encoded by a single structural gene.
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Stover CM, Thiel S, Thelen M, Lynch NJ, Vorup-Jensen T, Jensenius JC, Schwaeble WJ
Two constituents of the initiation complex of the mannan-binding lectin activation pathway of complement are encoded by a single structural gene.
J Immunol. 1999 Mar 15;162(6):3481-90.
- PubMed ID
- 10092804 [ View in PubMed]
- Abstract
Mannan-binding lectin (MBL) forms a multimolecular complex with at least two MBL-associated serine proteases, MASP-1 and MASP-2. This complex initiates the MBL pathway of complement activation by binding to carbohydrate structures present on bacteria, yeast, and viruses. MASP-1 and MASP-2 are composed of modular structural motifs similar to those of the C1q-associated serine proteases C1r and C1s. Another protein of 19 kDa with the same N-terminal sequence as the 76-kDa MASP-2 protein is consistently detected as part of the MBL/MASP complex. In this study, we present the primary structure of this novel MBL-associated plasma protein of 19 kDa, MAp19, and demonstrate that MAp19 and MASP-2 are encoded by two different mRNA species generated by alternative splicing/polyadenylation from one structural gene.