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PMID: 6940133 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Complete amino acid sequence of bovine thymosin beta 4: a thymic hormone that induces terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase activity in thymocyte populations.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 78 ·No. 2 ·1981-02-00 ·Pages 1162-6

Low TL, Hu SK, Goldstein AL

Abstract

The amino acid sequence of thymosin beta 4, a polypeptide isolated from calf thymus, was determined. Thymosin beta 4 is composed of 43 amino acid residues and has a molecular weight of 4982 and an isoelectric point of 5.1. The NH2 terminus of the peptide is blocked by an acetyl group. This molecule induces expression of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (DNA nucleotidylexotransferase, EC 2.7.7.31) in transferase-negative murine thymocytes in vivo and in citro. Thus, it appears that thymosin beta 4 acts on lymphoid stem cells and may control the early stages of the maturation process of thymus-dependent lymphocytes. This peptide is one of several present in thymosin fraction 5 that participates in the regulation, differentiation, and function of thymus-dependent thymocytes.

MeSH Terms
Amino Acid Sequence Animals Cattle Cyanogen Bromide DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase/biosynthesis DNA Nucleotidyltransferases/biosynthesis Enzyme Induction Hydrocortisone/pharmacology Mice Mice, Inbred BALB C Molecular Weight Peptide Fragments/analysis Thymosin/pharmacology Thymus Gland/drug effects,enzymology Thymus Hormones/pharmacology
Chemicals
Peptide Fragments Thymus Hormones Thymosin DNA Nucleotidyltransferases DNA Nucleotidylexotransferase Cyanogen Bromide Hydrocortisone
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Low T L
Hu S K
Goldstein A L
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31 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Abbr.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
ISSN
0027-8424
DOI
10.1073/pnas.78.2.1162
Published
1981-02-00
Pages
1162-6
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
7505876
PMCID
PMC319967
Subset
IM
Grants
NCI NIH HHS · CA 24974 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.78.2.1162 PMC Full Text View journal details
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