CHARACTERIZATION OF A HUMAN SEMINAL PLASMA GLYCOSAMINOGLYCAN-BEARING POLYPEPTIDE

A glycosaminoglycan-bearing polypeptide (S.GP), present in human seminal plasma, was purified to homogeneity by a combination of CsCl density-gradient centrifugation, f.p.l.c. ion-exchange chromatography on a Mono Q HR column and Superose 6 gel filtration. The observed polydispersity of S.GP was attributed to the heterogeneity of its glycosaminoglycan content. Enzymic deglycosylation experiments and N-terminal amino-acid sequence determination indicate that it consists of a polypeptide (apparent molecular mass approx. 18 kDa) bearing both chondroitin and heparan sulphate chains. Evidence is given that S.GP contains a glycosaminoglycan-linkage domain of a so far uncharacterized gene product, proteolytically processed in the genital tract.