Ascidian entactin/nidogen

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Abstract
Entactin/nidogen, a major component of the basement membrane, has a domain structure comprising three globular domains, and thread‐like and rod‐like domains connecting them. It contains six epidermal‐growth‐factor‐(EGF)‐like motifs and one thyroglobulin‐like motif. In the present study, ascidian entactin/nidogen has been identified by a monoclonal antibody technique. We prepared anti‐(ascidian entactin/nidogen)IgG, named anti‐AsEnt1, then cloned the cDNA of ascidian entactin/nidogen using anti‐AsEnt1 as a probe, and determined its entire sequence. Mainly because the deduced amino acid sequence exhibited high similarity to mouse entactin and human nidogen, and because the antigen localized in basement membrane of ascidian body‐wall muscle, we have concluded that the antigen anti‐AsEnt1 corresponds to the ascidian entactin/nidogen homologue. The deduced amino acid sequence of ascidian entactin/nidogen clearly showed that the ascidian homologue also has a domain structure. However, the ascidian homologue lacked the thread‐like domain, and the rod‐like domain differed from that of mouse entactin in composition, consisting of two kinds of cysteine‐rich motifs, that is, the EGF‐like motif and the thyroglobulin‐like motif. These results suggest that entactin/nidogen have evolved by modifying the domains, especially by shuffling the two kinds of cysteine‐rich motifs.