Opalin, a transmembrane sialylglycoprotein located in the central nervous system myelin paranodal loop membrane.

ABSTRACT: In contrast to compact myelin, the series of paranodal loops located in the outermost lateral region of myelin is non-compact; the intracellular space is filled by a continuous channel of cytoplasm, the extracellular surfaces between neighboring loops keep a definite distance, but the loop membranes have junctional specializations. Although the proteins that form compact myelin have been well studied, the protein components of paranodal loop membranes are not fully understood. This report describes the biochemical characterization and expression of Opalin as a novel membrane protein in paranodal loops. Mouse Opalin is composed of a short N-terminal extracellular domain (amino acid residues 1-30), a transmembrane domain (residues 31-53), and a long C-terminal intracellular domain (residues

SUBMITTER: Yoshikawa F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3258930 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature