MOUSE LATENT TGF-BETA BINDING-PROTEIN-2 - MOLECULAR-CLONING AND DEVELOPMENTAL EXPRESSION

The molecular cloning and developmental expression of mouse LTBP-2 are presented here. We established the identity of the cDNA by sequence c omparison (80% identity with human LTBP-2) and by chromosome localizat ion (mouse chromosome 12, band D, a region of conserved synteny with t he human LTBP-2 gene). In contrast to LTBP-1 and LTBP-3, mouse LTBP-2 apparently is a more modular protein, with proline/glycine-rich sequen ces always alternating with clusters of cysteine-rich structural motif s. We found for the first time that LTBP-2 gene expression in mouse em bryos was restricted to cartilage perichondrium and blood vessels, a s omewhat surprising result since other LTBP genes are widely expressed in rodent tissues, Therefore, mouse LTBP-2 may play a critical role in the assembly of latent TGF-beta complexes in developing elastic tissu es such as cartilage and blood vessel. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.