Identification of previously unrecognized sequence motifs at the extreme carboxyterminus of the neurofilament subunit NF-M
Shaw, G.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 162(1): 294-299
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0006-291X PMID: 2751652 Document Number: 337609
Two previously unrecognized features of neurofilament architecture are revealed by careful analysis of published neurofilament sequences. 1. The extreme C-terminus of the NF-M tail contains two highly conserved homologous sequences each of 15 amino acids, with the consensus EEK-V-TKKVEK-TS, plus another very closely related 7 amino acid sequence. 2. The C-terminus of NF-M contains sequences of consensus K-SP or K-SP which in some species are multiply repeated, are probably phosphorylated, but are distinct from the more obvious KSP repeated, are probably phosphorylated, but are distinct from the more obivous KSP repated sequences. Sequences related to both the K-SP and K--SP sequences are found in NF-H, microtubule associated proteins tau and MAP2, suggesting a further level of immunological and potential evolutionary relationship between neurofilaments and these microtubule associated proteins. The possible significance of these findings is discussed.