Biomaterial Database

Subunit composition and structure of subcomponent C1q of the first component of human complement. 1976

K B Reid, and R R Porter

1. Unreduced human subcomponent C1q was shown by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels run in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate to be composed of two types of non-covalently linked subunits of apparent mol.wts. 69 000 and 54 000. The ratio of the two subunits was markedly affected by the ionic strength of the applied sample. At a low ionic strength of applied sample, which gave the optimum value for the 54 000-apparent mol.wt. subunit, a ratio of 1.99:1.00 was obtained for the ratio of the 69 000-apparent mol.wt. subunit to the 5400-apparent-mol.wt. subunit. The amount of the 54 000-apparent-mol.wt. subunit detected in the expected position on the gel was found to be inversely proportional to increases in the ionic strength of the applled sample. 2. Human subcomponent C1q on reduction and alkylation, or oxidation, yields equimolar amounts of three chains designated A, B and C [Reid et al. (1972) Biochem. J. 130, 749-763]. The results obtained by Yonemasu & Stroud [(1972) Immunochemistry 9, 545-554], which showed that the 69 000-apparent-mol.wt. subunit was a disulphide-linked dimer of the A and B chains and that the 54 000-apparent-mol.wt. subunit was a disulphide-linked dimer of the C chain, were confirmed. 3. Gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 in 6.0M-guanidinium chloride showed that both types of unreduced subunit were eluted together as a single symmetrical peak of apparent mol.wt. 49 000-50 000 when globular proteins were used as markers. The molecular weights of the oxidized or reduced A, B and C chains have been shown previously to be very similar all being in the range 23 000-24 000 [Reid et al. (1972) Biochem. J. 130, 749-763; Reid (1974) Biochem. J. 141, 189-203]. 4. It is proposed that subcomponent C1q (mol.wt. 410000) is composed of nine non-covalently linked subunits, i.e. six A-B dimers and three C-C dimers. 5. A structure for subcomponent C1q is proposed and is based on the assumption that the collagen-like regions of 78 residues in each of the A, B and C chains are combined to form a triple-helical structure of the same type as is found in collagens.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008956	Models, Chemical	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of chemical processes or phenomena; includes the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Chemical Models,Chemical Model,Model, Chemical
D008970	Molecular Weight	The sum of the weight of all the atoms in a molecule.	Molecular Weights,Weight, Molecular,Weights, Molecular
D010446	Peptide Fragments	Partial proteins formed by partial hydrolysis of complete proteins or generated through PROTEIN ENGINEERING techniques.	Peptide Fragment,Fragment, Peptide,Fragments, Peptide
D011487	Protein Conformation	The characteristic 3-dimensional shape of a protein, including the secondary, supersecondary (motifs), tertiary (domains) and quaternary structure of the peptide chain. PROTEIN STRUCTURE, QUATERNARY describes the conformation assumed by multimeric proteins (aggregates of more than one polypeptide chain).	Conformation, Protein,Conformations, Protein,Protein Conformations
D002850	Chromatography, Gel	Chromatography on non-ionic gels without regard to the mechanism of solute discrimination.	Chromatography, Exclusion,Chromatography, Gel Permeation,Chromatography, Molecular Sieve,Gel Filtration,Gel Filtration Chromatography,Chromatography, Size Exclusion,Exclusion Chromatography,Gel Chromatography,Gel Permeation Chromatography,Molecular Sieve Chromatography,Chromatography, Gel Filtration,Exclusion Chromatography, Size,Filtration Chromatography, Gel,Filtration, Gel,Sieve Chromatography, Molecular,Size Exclusion Chromatography
D003165	Complement System Proteins	Serum glycoproteins participating in the host defense mechanism of COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION that creates the COMPLEMENT MEMBRANE ATTACK COMPLEX. Included are glycoproteins in the various pathways of complement activation (CLASSICAL COMPLEMENT PATHWAY; ALTERNATIVE COMPLEMENT PATHWAY; and LECTIN COMPLEMENT PATHWAY).	Complement Proteins,Complement,Complement Protein,Hemolytic Complement,Complement, Hemolytic,Protein, Complement,Proteins, Complement,Proteins, Complement System
D003172	Complement C1	The first complement component to act in the activation of CLASSICAL COMPLEMENT PATHWAY. It is a calcium-dependent trimolecular complex made up of three subcomponents: COMPLEMENT C1Q; COMPLEMENT C1R; and COMPLEMENT C1S at 1:2:2 ratios. When the intact C1 binds to at least two antibodies (involving C1q), C1r and C1s are sequentially activated, leading to subsequent steps in the cascade of COMPLEMENT ACTIVATION.	C1 Complement,Complement 1,Complement Component 1,C1, Complement,Complement, C1,Component 1, Complement
D003956	Dialysis	A process of selective diffusion through a membrane. It is usually used to separate low-molecular-weight solutes which diffuse through the membrane from the colloidal and high-molecular-weight solutes which do not. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)	Dialyses
D004591	Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel	Electrophoresis in which a polyacrylamide gel is used as the diffusion medium.	Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis,SDS-PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGE,Gel Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide,SDS PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate PAGE,Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-PAGEs
D006146	Guanidines	A family of iminourea derivatives. The parent compound has been isolated from mushrooms, corn germ, rice hulls, mussels, earthworms, and turnip juice. Derivatives may have antiviral and antifungal properties.