Translation in a cell-free system of mRNA from term placenta extracted by guanidine hydrochloride

Processing of SP1 precursor in a cell-free system from poly(A+) mRNA of human placenta

Cell-free translation of polyadenylated mRNA from human term placenta in a wheat germ extract, after immunoprecipitation with antibodies directed against purified pregnant serum SP1, yielded a single polypeptide of 31 kDa. Addition of dog pancreatic microsomal vesicles to the translation system resulted in the appearance of two polypeptides, one of them of 46 kDa and the other of 28 kDa. Both polypeptides were protected from limited proteolysis and when the assay was performed with lytic detergent concentrations in addition to proteases, this protection was abolished indicating that the polypeptides were segregated into the microsomal vesicles. The cleavage of a signal peptide of 3 kDa from the 31 kDa primary translation product gives rise to 28 kDa and accounts for the slight increase in electrophoretic mobility. The treatment of the immunoprecipitated products with Endoglycosidase H and alpha-mannosidase, suggested that only the 46 kDa polypeptide is a glycoprotein. From the results obtained we conclude that SP1 is synthesized and processed to a glycoprotein of 46 kDa which would be a protomeric form of the oligomers reported in pregnant serum by other authors.

Identification and molecular weight of SP1 synthesized from mRNA of human placenta in a wheat germ cell-free system

Poly (A+)-mRNA obtained from human term placenta using guanidine HCl and oligo (dT) cellulose chromatography was translated in a wheat germ cell-free system. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the translation products revealed the presence of several polypeptides with molecular weights ranging from 10 KD to 70 KD. A single protein band representing around 1% of the total radioactive proteins synthesized in the presence of 2.5 micrograms of mRNA was isolated by immunoprecipitation, using specific antiserum against either the native 'Pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein' or a reduced and carboxymethylated derivative. The molecular weight of 31-2 KD of this translation product corresponding to the nonprocessed precursor could account for the 43 KD value assigned to the protein purified form human pregnant serum.