H-1-NMR ASSIGNMENT AND SECONDARY STRUCTURE OF THE CELL-ADHESION TYPE-III MODULE OF FIBRONECTIN

The secondary structure of the tenth type III module from human fibronectin has been determined using NMR. This type of module appears many times in a wide variety of proteins. The type III module described here contains an Arg-Gly-Asp sequence known to be involved in cell-cell adhesion. The module was expressed in yeast and characterized by amino acid sequencing and mass spectrometry. 2D and 3D NMR spectroscopy of N-15-labeled protein was used to perform sequence-specific assignment of the spectrum. The secondary structure was defined by patterns of nuclear Overhauser effects, 3J(NH-alpha-CH) spin-spin coupling constants, and amide proton solvent exchange rates. The molecule consists of seven beta-strands in two antiparallel beta-sheets with an immunoglobulin-like fold similar to that predicted for homologous modules in the cytokine receptor super family [Bazan, J. F. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 6934-6938]. The Arg-Gly-Asp sequence is located on a loop between the beta-strands F and G.