THE GARP GENE ENCODES A NEW MEMBER OF THE FAMILY OF LEUCINE-RICH REPEAT-CONTAINING PROTEINS

We have characterized a new human gene, named GARP, localized in the 1 1q14 chromosomal region. GARP comprises two coding exons, is expressed as two major transcripts of 4.4 and 2.8 kilobases, respectively, and encodes a putative transmembrane protein of 662 amino acids, the extra cellular portion of which is almost entirely made of leucine-rich repe ats. The molecular weight of the protein immunoprecipitated from trans fected cells is 80,000. The GARP protein has structural similarities w ith the human GP Ibalpha and GP V platelet proteins, and with the Chao ptin, Toll, and Connectin adhesion molecules of Drosophila.