Characterization of the kinetics of neural cell adhesion molecule homophilic binding |
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Authors: | N Moran E Bock |
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Affiliation: | Protein Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. |
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Abstract: | A solid-phase assay has been developed for the investigation of the kinetics of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) binding. Using this assay we can show that NCAM binds to itself in a time-dependent and saturable manner. Binding constants (KB values) of 6.9 x 10(-8) M and 1.23 x 10(-6) M, respectively, were obtained for adult and newborn rat NCAM homophilic binding. Binding is specifically inhibited by Fab' fragments of polyclonal anti-NCAM antibodies but is unaffected by heparin or chondroitin sulphate. This indicates that the NCAM homophilic binding site is separate from and independent of the heparin-binding site and that a developmental modification, probably polysialation, gives rise to marked differences in the adhesive properties of NCAM. |
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