Tropoelastin bridge region positions the cell-interactive C terminus and contributes to elastic fiber assembly.

ABSTRACT: The tropoelastin monomer undergoes stages of association by coacervation, deposition onto microfibrils, and cross-linking to form elastic fibers. Tropoelastin consists of an elastic N-terminal coil region and a cell-interactive C-terminal foot region linked together by a highly exposed bridge region. The bridge region is conveniently positioned to modulate elastic fiber assembly through association by coacervation and its proximity to dominant cross-linking domains. Tropoelastin constructs that either modify or remove the entire bridge and downstream regions were assessed for elastogenesis. These constructs focused on a single alanine substitution (R515A) and a truncation (M155n) at the highly conserved arginine 515 site that borders the bridge. Each form displayed less efficient coacervat

SUBMITTER: Yeo GC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3286909 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature