INeuron, Vol. 6, 811-823, May, 1991, Copyright

0 1991 by Cell Press

Structure and Expression of a Rat Agrin

Fabio Rupp, Donald G. Payan,* Catherine Magill-Sole, David M. Cowan, and Richard H. Scheller Howard Hughes Medical Institute Department of Molecular and Cellular Beckman Center ‘,tanford University Ctanford, California 94305

Physiology

Summary Agrin is a component of the basal lamina that causes the aggregation of acetylcholine receptors on cultured muscle fibers. An agrin cDNA clone isolated from electromotor neurons of a marine ray was used to characterize the corresponding cDNAs from a rat embryonic spinal cord library. Analysis of a set of clones predicts a 1940 amino acid protein containing 141 cysteine residues. The predicted protein has nine domains homologous to protease inhibitors, a region similar to domain III of laminin, and four epidermal growth factor repeats. The agrin gene is expressed in rat embryonic nervous svstem and muscle. The rat agrin protein is concentrated at synapses, where it may play a role in development and regeneration. Introduction The formation of synapses during development and their reorganization during learning is an important example of localized cell surface differentiation. A widely studied synapse is the neuromuscular junction, the highly specialized site that mediates precise and intricate interactions between motor neurons and muscle fibers (Dennis, 1981). The structural components of the neuromuscular junction are the presynaptic axon terminal, the postsynaptic cell membrane, and the synaptic cleft, occupied by basal lamina. Differentiation of each of these structures during development is thought to be regulated by sets 01 interactions between molecules synthesized by nerve and muscle (Schuetze and Role, 1987). One of the dramatic events that occurs during development of the neuromuscular junction is the localizdtion of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) at the synapse. Early in development embryonic AChRs are widely distributed across the surface of muscle fibers. However, upon contact of the muscle fiber by the nerve, AChRs begin to accumulate beneath the nerve terminal to form discrete, high density patches of approximately 3 x IO3 receptors per pm* (Anderson et al., 1977; Bevan and Steinbach, 1977). The accumulation of AChRs at the developing neuromuscular junc* Present address: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San FrPncisco, California 94143.

tion has been shown to be a combination of both the lateral migration of preexisting receptors and the local insertion of newly synthesized receptors (ZiskindConhaim et al., 1984; Dubinsky et al., 1989; Anderson and Cohen, 1977). Numerous studies have examined neuron-derived factors that induce the aggregation of AChRs. Extracts of tissues from the central nervous system of the rat have been shown to increase the number of AChRs and the number of AChR patches (But-Caron et al., 1983; Jesse11 et al., 1979; Neugebauer et al., 1985; Olek et al., 1983; Podleski et al., 1978; Salpeter et al., 1982). In addition, several other molecules with AChR-aggregating activity have been identified (Usdin and Fischbach, 1986; reviewed in Schuetze and Role, 1987). These include ascorbic acid (Knaack and Podleski, 1985), the transferrin-like protein sciatin (Markelonis et al., 1982), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (New and Mudge, 1986; Fontaine et al., 1986, 1987). An important common feature of the above molecules is the fact that they principally influence synaptogenesis by increasing the rate of appearance of new AChRs (Role et al., 1985; Harris et al., 1988). In contrast, studies using extracts of basal laminaenriched fractions of marine ray electric organ revealed the presence of molecules that cause aggregation of AChRs that are already present on the surface of myotubes (Godfrey et al., 1984,1988; McMahan and Slater, 1984). This activity has been shown to be caused by the protein agrin (Nitkin et al., 1987). Agrin is believed to cause the formation of AChR patches by a process of lateral migration within the muscle fiber plasma membrane (Fallon et al., 1985; Nitkin et al., 1987; Reist et al., 1987). Thus, agrin is functionally distinct from the above AChR-aggregating molecules. Antibodies raised against agrin recognize a protein concentrated in the synaptic basal lamina at the neuromuscular junction and have been used to immunoprecipitate agrin-like molecules frorn electric organ extracts (Smith et al., 1987). Theobservation that AChR aggregates appear in concert with the formation of the basal lamina has contributed to the proposal that agrin becomes stably incorporated into the basal lamina,where it plays a role in maintaining the integrity of the postsynaptic apparatus (Anglister and McMahan, 1985; McMahan and Wallace, 1989). Proteins associated with the basal lamina may have several additional activities. Laminin promotes axon outgrowth (Edgar et al., 1984; Liesi et al., 1989), in addition to its known tissue support and cell integrative functions (reviewed in Beck et al., 1990). Furthermore, there is increasing evidence for a growing number of related extracellular matrix molecules, such as s-laminin (Hunter et al., 1989a). These molecules may be localized to unique tissue compartments, such as the synapse, where they may function to regulate axon outgrowth and aspects of synapse formation. We report the isolation of a set of overlapping cDNA

1 121

TGCTTATCTCCTACCATGMCCTGGAGGGCTGGGGAGAGGACCTGGTGCTCCCCTAGCCATMCTGGCTAAACTTTGAGATCACAGCTGCATCTGCTGCTCCAGAGCACCCAGCATGGGG GGAGTAGCTCCGMGAGGCCTMGGGCACTCCATAAGAACTCCCACACACACCCAGGAATTGGGCTCGAGCTGTATGTATCATGCCTCCTClGCCACTGGAACACAGACCCAGGCAGGAG HPPLPLEHRPROE

241 14

CCTGGTGCCTCCATGCTGGTTCGATACTTCATGATCCCCTGC~CATCTGCTTGATCCTGTTGGCCACTTCCACATTGGGCTTTGCGGTTCTGCTTTTCCTCAGCAACTAC~CCTGGA PGASHLVRYFMlPCNlCLlLLATSTLGFAVLLFLSNYKPG

361 54

ATCCACTTCACACCAGCGCCTCCTACGCCTCCTGATGTATGCAGGGGMTGTTATGTGGCTTTGGTGCTGTGTGTGMCCTAGTGTTGAGGATCCAGGCCGTGCCTCCTGTGTGTGC~G IHFTPAPPTPPOVCRGMLCGFGAVCEPSVEDPGRASCVCK

481 94

MGMTGCTTGCCCTGCTACGGTGGCTCCTGTGTGTGGCTCAGATGCCTCCACCTATAGCAACGAGTGTGAGCTGCAGCGCGCGCAGTGCAACCAGCAACGGCGCATCCGCCTGCTTCGC KNACPATVAPVCGSDASTYSNECELPRAaCNPPRRlRLLR

601 134

CAAGGGCCATGTGGGTCCCGGGACCCCTGTGCCAACGTGACCTGCAGTTTCGGTAGTACCTGTGTACCTTCGGCTGACGGACAGAClGCCTCATGTCTGTGTCCTACAACCTGClTCGGG OGPCGSRDPCANVTCSFGSTCVPSADGOTASCLCPTTCFG

721 174

GCCCCTGATGGCACAGTGTGTGGCAGTGACGGTGACTACCCTAGTGAATGCCAGCTGCTTAGTCATGCCTGTGCCAGCCAGGAGCACATCTTCAAGAAGTTCAATGGTCCTTGTGAT APDGTVCGSDGVDYPSECOLLStlACASOEHlFKKFNGPCD

841 214

CCCTGCCAGGGCAGCATGTCAGACCTGAACCACATTTGCCGTGTGAACCCACGTACACGGCACCCAGAAATGCTTCTGCGGCCTGAGAACTGCCCTGCCCAGCACACGCCTATCTGTGGA PCOGSNSDLNHlCRVNPRTRHPEMLLRPENCPAOHTPlCG

961 254

GATGATGGGGTCACCTATGAAAACGACTGTGTCATGAGCCGTATAGGTGCAACCCGTGGCCTGCTTCTCCAGAAAGTACGCTCTGGTCAATGCCAAACTCGAGACCAGTGCCCGGAGACC DDGVTYENDCVHSRlGATRGLLLOKVRSGOCOTRDOCPET

1081 294

TGCCAGTTTAACTCCGTATGCCTGTCCCGCCGTGGCCGTCCCCACTGTTCCTGCGATCGTGTCACCTGTGATGGGTCTTACAGGCCTGTGTGTGCCCAAGATGGGCACACATACAACAAT COFNSVCLSRRGRPHCSCDRVTCDGSYRPVCAODGHTYNN

1201 334

GACTGTTGGCGCCAACAGGCTGAGTGTCGACAACAGCGGGCCATTCCTCCCAAGCACCAGGGCCCGTGTGACCAGACCCCGTCCCCATGCCATGGAGTGCAATGTGCATTTGGGGCAGTA DCUROOAECROORAIPPKHOGPCDOTPSPCHGVOCAFGAV

1321 374

TGCACAGTGAAGAACGGGAAAGCCGAGTGCGAGTGCCAGCGGGTGTGCTCCGGCATCTACGATCCTGTGTGCGGCAGTGACGGTGTCACTTACGGCAGTGTGTGCGAGCTGGAATCCATG CTVKNGKAECECORVCSGlYDPVCGSDGVTYGSVCELESM

1441 414

GCCTGTACCCTTGGGCGGGAAATCCAAGTGGCCCGCAGAGGACCCTGTGACCCATGTGGGCAGTGCCGTTTTGGATCCCTGTGCGAGGTGGAAACTGGACGCTGTGTGTGCCCCTCTGAG ACTLGRElOVARRGPCDPCGOCRFGSLCEVETGRCVCPSE

1561 454

TGTGTGGAGTCAGCCCAGCCCGTATGCGGTTCTGATGGACACACATACGCTAGTGAATGTGAGCTGCATGTCCACGCCTGTACGCACCAGATCAGCCTATACGTGGCCTCAGCTGGACAC CVESAOPVCGSDGHTYASECELtiVHACTHOlSLYVASAGH

1681 494

TGCCAGACCTGTGGAGAAAAAGTTTGTACTTTTGGGGCTGTGTGCTCAGCTGGACAGTGTGTATGTCCCCGTTGTGAGCACCCTCCACCTGGCCCTGTGTGTGGCAGTGATGGTGTCACC COTCGEKVCTFGAVCSAGOCVCPRCEHPPPGPVCGSDGVT

1801 534

TACCTCAGTGCCTGTGAGCTACGCGAAGCTGCCTGTCAGCAGCAGGTACAAATTGAGGAGGCCCATGCAGGGCCATGTGAGCCGGCTGAGTGTGGCTCAGGGGGCTCTGGTTCTGGGGAG YLSACELREAACOOOVO1EEAHAGPCEPAECGSGGSGSGE

1921 574

GACGACGAGTGTGAACAGGAGCTATGCCGGCAGCGTGGTGGTATCTGGGACGAGGACTCAGAAGATGGGCCATGTGTCTGTGACTTTAGCTGCCAGAGTGTCCCTAGAAGCCCAGTGTGl DDECEOELCRORGGIUDEDSEOGPCVCDFSCPSVPRSPVCDFSCOSVPRSPVC

2041 614

GGCTCGGATGGAGTCACCTATGGCACCGAGTGTGATCTGAAGAAGGCCAGGTGCGAATCACAGCAAGAACTGTACGTTGCTGCTCAGGGAGCCTGCCGTGGCCCTACCTTGGCTCCACTG GSDGVTYGTECDLKKARCESOOELYVAAOGACRGPTLAPL

2161 654

CTACCTGTGGCCTTCCCACACTGTGCCCAAACCCCCTATGGCTGCTGCCAGGACAATTTCACTGCTGCCCAGGGTGTGGGCTTGGCTGGCTGTCCCAGCACCTGCCATTGCAACCCCCAT LPVAFPHCAOTPYGCCODNFTAAOGVGLAGCPSTCHCNPH

2281 694

GGCTCCTACAGTGGCACTTGTGACCCAGCCACAGGGCAGTGCTCCTGCCGACCAGGTGTAGGAGGCCTCAGGTGTGATCGCTGTGAACCTGGCTTCTGGAACTTCCGTGGCATCGTCACC GSYSGTCDPATGOCSCRPGVGGLRCDRCEPGFUNFRGIVT

2401 734

GATGGACATAGTGGTTGCACTCCCTGCAGCTGCGACCCTCGGGGTGCCGTAAGGGATGACTGTGAACAGATGACTGGATTGTGTTCCTGTAGGCCTGGTGTGGCTGGTCCCAAGTGTGGA DGHSGCTPCSCDPRGAVRDDCEOMTGLCSCRPGVAGPKCG

2521 774

CAGTGTCCAGATGGTCAAGTCCTGGGCCATCTAGGCTGTGAAGCAGATCCCATGACACCTGTGACTTGTGTGGAGATACACTGCGAGTTCGGGGCCTCCTGCGTAGAGAAGGCTGGTTTT OCPDGOVLGHLGCEADPMTPVTCVEKAGF

2641 814

GCCCAATGTATCTGCCCAACCCTCACATGTCCAGAGGCTAACTCTACCAAGGTCTGCGGATCAGACGGTGTGACATATGGCAATGAATGCCAGCTGAAGGCCATTGCCTGCCGCCAGCGT AOCICPTLTCPEANSTKVCGSDGVTYGNECOLKA~ACROR

2761 a54

CTGGACATCTCCACTCAGAGTCTTGGTCCCTGCCAGGAGAGTGTTACTCCTGGGGCTTCCCCAACATCTGCATCTATGACTACCCCAAGGCATATCCTGAGCAAGACGCTGCCATTTCCC LDlSTOSLGPCOESVTPGASPTSASHTTPRHlLSKTLPFP

2aal a94

CACAACAGCCTTCCTCTGTCTCCCGGCAGTACTACCCATGATTGGCCCACCCCATTACCCATATCACCTCACACCACAGTCAGCATCCCCAGAAGCACCGCGTGGCCTGTGCTGACCGTG HNSLPLSPGSTTHDUPTPLPISPHTTVSIPRSTAUPVLTV

3001 934

CCCCCTACAGCAGCAGCCTCTGACGTAACCAGTCTCGCAACATCAATCTTCAGTGAATCCGGCAGCGCCAATGGGAGTGGCGACGAGGAACTGAGTGGAGATGAGGAGGCCAGTGGGGGC PPTAAASDVTSLATSIFSESGSANGSGDEELSGDEEASGG

3121 974

GGGTCTGGGGGACTTGAGCCCCCGGTGGGCAGCATTGTGGTGACCCATGGGCCACCCATCGAGAGGGCTTCCTGCTACAACTCACCTTTGGGCTGCTGCTCAGATGGCAAGACACCCTCA GSGGLEPPVGSIVVTHGPPIERASCYNSPLGCCSDGKTPS

3241 1014

CTGGACTCCGAAGGCTCCAACTGTCCTGCTACCAAGGCATTCCAGGGCGTGCTGGAGCTTGAGGGGGTCGAGGGACAGGAACTGTTCTACACACCTGAGATGGCTGACCCCAAGTCAGAG LDSEGSNCPATKAFOGVLELEGVEGOELFYTPEMADPKSE

3361 1054

TTGTTTGGGGAGACCGCAAGGAGCATTGAAAGCACGCTGGACGACCTGTTCCGGAATTCAGACGTCAAGAAGGACTTCTGGAGTGTCCGCCTACGGGAACTGGGGCCTGGCAAGTTGGTC LFGETARSIESTLDDLFRNSDVKKDFUSVRLRELGPGKLV

3481 1094

CGCGCCATTGTGGACGTTCACTTTGACCCTACCACAGCCTTCCAGGCATCAGATGTGGGTCAGGCCTTGCTCCGACAGATCCAGGTATCTAGGCCATGGGCCCTGGCAGTGAGGAGGCCT RAIVDVHFDPTTAFOASDVGOALLROIOVSRPUALAVRRP

Structure and expression of a rat agrin.

Agrin is a component of the basal lamina that causes the aggregation of acetylcholine receptors on cultured muscle fibers. An agrin cDNA clone isolate...
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