AMINO-ACID-SEQUENCE OF A MAJOR HUMAN AMELOGENIN PROTEIN EMPLOYING EDMAN DEGRADATION AND CDNA SEQUENCING

The abundant hydrophobic, proline-glutamine, and histidine-rich (over 90%) amelogenins constitute the major class of proteins in forming ext racellular enamel matrix. These are thought to play a major role in th e structural organization and mineralization of developing enamel. The present report describes the successful sequencing of the major human amelogenin protein, by use of both Edman degradation and cDNA sequenc ing. When Edman degradation was used, over 75% of the primary structur e of the protein was determined. This sequence was supplemented with c DNA sequencing studies, which revealed the predicted sequence of this protein. Together, they provide the complete sequence of an important human enamel protein. The information complements recent studies on bo vine and human amelogenin genes. A comparison between the present resu lts and the protein sequences predicted from the corresponding human a melogenin genomic coding regions and that of cDNA sequences of other s pecies is described.