Human alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein: the A and B chains with a connecting sequence are encoded by a single mRNA transcript.

The alpha 2-HS-glycoprotein (AHSG) is a plasma protein reported to play roles in bone mineralization and in the immune response. It is composed of two subunits, the A and B chains. Recombinant plasmids containing human cDNA AHSG have been isolated by screening an adult human liver library with a mixed oligonucleotide probe. The cDNA clones containing AHSG inserts span approximately 1.5 kilobase pairs and include the entire AHSG coding sequence, demonstrating that the A and B chains are encoded by a single mRNA transcript. The cDNA sequence predicts an 18-amino-acid signal peptide, followed by the A-chain sequence of AHSG. A heretofore unseen connecting sequence of 40 amino acids was deduced between the A- and B-chain sequences. The connecting sequence demonstrates the unique amino acid doublets and collagen triplets found in the A and B chains; it is not homologous with other reported amino acid sequences. The connecting sequence may be cleaved in a posttranslational step by limited proteolysis before mature AHSG is released into the circulation or may vary in its presence because of alternative processing. The AHSG cDNA was utilized for mapping the AHSG gene to the 3q21----qter region of human chromosome 3. The availability of the AHSG cDNA clone will facilitate the analysis of its genetic control and gene expression during development and bone formation.