Nucleotide sequence coding for the human type IV collagen α2 chain cDNA reveals extensive homology with the NC‐1 domain of α1 (IV) but not with the collagenous domain or 3untranslated region

Abstract

We have isolated two overlapping cDNA clones that provide the complete nucleotide sequence coding for the NC-1 domain and 3′-untranslated region of the α₂ chain of human type IV collagen as well as a sequence encoding 232 residues of the collagenous domain. An extensive homology was observed between the sequences of the NC-1 domain of the α₁(IV) and α₂(IV) chains, but considerably less between the sequences encoding collagenous and 3′-untranslated regions. There were four interruptions in the collagenous sequence studied whereas the comparable region of the α₁(IV) chain had only two. A potential oligosaccharide attachment site was found in a 6-residue long interruption of the collagenous domain but none in the NC-1 domain.