Isolation and biochemical characterization of the alpha- and beta-subunits of glycoprotein IIb of human platelet plasma membrane.

The alpha- and beta-subunits of glycoprotein IIb (GPIIb) of human platelet plasma membrane were isolated in fully reduced, partially reduced and alkylated, and fully alkylated forms, by size-exclusion chromatography after reduction of pure GPIIb. The sugar moiety of GPIIb alpha accounts for 16.4% of its total weight, whereas that of GPIIb beta accounts for only 10.2%. The molar percentages (per 100 mol of total amino acids) of neuraminic acid and galactose in the alpha-subunit more than double those in the beta-subunit, whereas galactosamine is present only in GPIIb alpha. From the amino acid and sugar compositions the acidic nature of both subunits was confirmed. The Mr values obtained, 114,000 for GPIIb alpha and 22,200 for GPIIb beta, are in very good agreement with those obtained by physical methods. We found by stepwise reduction of pure GPIIb with dithioerythritol that GPIIb alpha and GPIIb beta are joined by a single interchain disulphide bridge, while the remaining half-cystine residues participate in intrachain bonds, six in GPIIb alpha and one in GPIIb beta, the intersubunit disulphide bond being that reduced first. Neither of the two subunits is liberated from isolated plasma membranes when this GPIIb interchain bond is reduced in isolated membranes.