TELETHONIN, A NOVEL SARCOMERIC PROTEIN OF HEART AND SKELETAL-MUSCLE

In this paper we describe a novel 19 kDa sarcomeric protein named tele thonin. The cDNA sequence discloses an open reading frame of 167 amino acids that does not resemble any known protein. Antibodies against a recombinant telethonin fragment were used for Western blot analysis, c onfirming the presence of this 19 kDa protein in heart and skeletal mu scle and revealing an immunofluorescence pattern typical of sarcomeric proteins, overlapping myosin. The frequency of specific cDNA clones i n different libraries indicates that the telethonin transcript is amon gst the most abundant in skeletal muscle. In human, telethonin maps at 17q12, adjacent to the phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase gene. ( C) 1997 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.