A NEW TRANSGLUTAMINASE-LIKE FROM THE ASCIDIAN CIONA-INTESTINALIS

A cDNA clone encoding a transglutaminase (TGase) was isolated from a c DNA library prepared from the larval stage of Ciona intestinalis. The cDNA sequence has an open reading frame encoding a protein of 696 amin o acids and is about 36% identical to 11 other TGase sequences. In add ition, the critical residues thought to form the catalytic center are conserved. The Ciona TGase (CiTGase) has an extension of 39 amino acid s in the NH2-terminal region similar to that reported for keratinocyte TGases. A phylogenetic analysis among other types of TGases demonstra ted that CiTGase represents a new type of the enzyme. (C) 1997 Federat ion of European Biochemical Societies.