Identification and visualization of the sexual agglutinin from the mating-type plus flagellar membrane of Chlamydomonas

W. Steven Adair, Carol Hwang, Ursula W. Goodenough

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65 Scopus citations

Abstract

Sexual agglutinins located on the flagellar membranes of Chlamydomonas gametes mediate a mating-type-specific adhesion reaction that brings complementary gametes together for zygotic cell fusion. We identify the mating-type plus agglutinin, using a combination of biochemical and genetic analysis, as a glycopolypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of >106 by SDS-polyacylamide gel electrophoresis. Its core polypeptide migrates as a ∼480-kd species, and it is estimated to be present in ∼30 copies per gametic flagellum. The agglutinin is present in the wild type, in a mutant that agglutinates but cannot fuse, and in a complementing diploid, whereas it is absent from four nonagglutinating mutants and from a noncomplementing diploid. Electron microscopy shows the purified agglutinin to be a highly asymmetric molecule, 220 × 4 nm. To our knowledge, this is the first reported purification and visualization of a membrane-associated cell-cell recognition protein.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)183-193
Number of pages11
JournalCell
Volume33
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1983
Externally publishedYes

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