Exon structure of the collagen-binding domain of human fibronectin.

Fibronectin consists of a series of three internal homology repeats (types I, II, and III [(1983) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 80, 137-141]). The type III units are each coded for by two exons with the exception of the alternatively spliced extra domain type III [(1984) EMBO J. 3, 2511-2516]. To investigate the gene organisation of the type I and II repeats, genomic clones covering the collagen-binding domain of human fibronectin have been isolated and characterised. The results show that each of the type I and II homology units in this region corresponds to an exon. Taken together with the previous data concerning the type III units, the data lend support to a gene fusion model of fibronectin evolution.