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Two homologous protein components of hepatic gap junctions

Nature volume 329, pages 732–734 (1987)Cite this article

Abstract

Gap junctions consist of closely packed pairs of transmembrane channels, the connexons, through which materials of low relative molecular mass diffuse from the cell to neighbouring cells. In liver, connexons consist of six protein summits1,2 which, until now, were believed to be identical3. However, besides the major polypeptide of relative molecular mass (Mr) 28,000 (and see refs 4 and 6), a component of Mr 21,000 (21K) has been repeatedly observed3–5 in liver. The amino-terminal sequence (18 residues) of this less abundant protein shows that it is related to, but distinct from, the Mr 28K protein. Immuno-staining and immuno-precipitation show both proteins to be in the same gap junctional plaques. Thus, it seems that hepatic gap junction channels (and by extension possibly others) are composed of two (or more) homologous proteins.

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Author notes

  1. B. Nicholson

    Present address: Department of Biological Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, 14260, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, 91125, USA

    B. Nicholson, D. Teplow & J.-P. Revel

  2. Institute of Anatomy, Universitatsklinikum, 4300, Essen, 1, FRG

    R. Dermietzel

  3. Institute of Cell Biology, Universitatsklinikum, 4300, Essen, 1, FRG

    O. Traub & K. Willecke

Authors
  1. B. Nicholson
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  2. R. Dermietzel
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  3. D. Teplow
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  4. O. Traub
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  5. K. Willecke
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  6. J.-P. Revel
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Nicholson, B., Dermietzel, R., Teplow, D. et al. Two homologous protein components of hepatic gap junctions. Nature 329, 732–734 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/329732a0

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