Localization of the papain cleavage site of H-2 glycoproteins

The antigenic products of the murine H-2K and H-2D genes are glycoproteins of about 45,000 molecular weight which are tightly integrated within the cell surface membrane. A glycoprotein fragment (FAg, antigenic fragment) of 37,000 daltons carrying the carbohydrate, antigenic sites, and the associated putative beta2-microglobulin of 12,000 daltons can be generated by papain cleavage either of the native molecules in the cell membrane or of immune precipitates made from the antigen solubilized by nonionic detergent. Partial NH2-terminal sequence analyses of the native H-2 glycoprotein and of the papain-cleaved glycoprotein fragment establish that the fragment is, in fact, the NH2-terminal portion of the native molecule. Thus, the cleavage by papain proteolysis is near the COOH-terminus, and removal of the COOH-terminal portion (Fm, membrane fragment) converts the glycoprotein to a water-soluble form. This observation suggests that the NH2-terminus of the native glycoprotein extends out of the hydrophobic bilayer of the cell membrane, and that the COOH-terminus contains the membrane binding region and is buried within the bilayer.