Active peptides from the carboxyl‐terminal globular domain of laminin α2 and Drosophila α chains

Abstract

The laminin α1 chain carboxyl-terminal globular domain (G domain) contains multiple biological activities. Recently, we identified five cell binding sequences from the G domain by screening with overlapping 12-mer peptides encompassing the entire domain. The structures of these five sequences in the α1 chain are conserved in the corresponding regions of the different laminin α chains. Here we characterize the adhesion activities of the corresponding peptide segments from both the mouse laminin α2 chain and Drosophila laminin α chain using peptide-coated plastic plates and peptide-conjugated Sepharose beads. Using several cell lines, the laminin α2 chain peptides showed cell attachment and/or spreading activities with cell type specificities. Cell spreading on MG-10 was inhibited by integrin antibodies. Four of the Drosophila laminin peptides showed cell attachment activities. These results suggest that biologically active regions in the G domain are conserved in the laminin α1 and α2 chains, and that these regions in laminin play an important role in cell surface receptor interactions.