Role of the carboxyl-terminal Fib2 domain in fibronectin matrix assembly

A truncated form of fibronectin consisting of the N-terminal 70 kDa and C-terminal 37 kDa regions, designated r70F2, retained the ability to assemble into the extracellular matrix when expressed in cultured fibroblasts (Ichihara-Tanaka et al. (1992) FEBS Lett. 299, 155-158). To elucidate the role of the C-terminal 37 kDa region in fibronectin matrix assembly, we expressed a panel of mutant forms of r70F2 with various deletions and amino acid substitutions in mouse L cells. Although substitution of Ser for two Cys residues in the C-terminal dimerforming segment led to a marked reduction in the matrix assembly activity of r70F2, the resulting monomeric r70F2 still retained a low, but significant activity to assemble into the matrix. Neither the N-terminal 70 kDa nor the C-terminal 37 kDa regions, when expressed as monomeric forms, exhibited any residual activity, suggesting that the core domain of the 37 kDa region consisting of III15 and I10 through I12 modules, termed Fib2 domain, is actively involved in the matrix assembly of r70F2. In support of the role of Fib2 domain, the proteolytic fragment derived from the 37 kDa region inhibited the assembly of r70F2. Furthermore, en bloc deletion of the Fib2 domain or deletion of the I10 through I12 modules from r70F2 resulted in a marked decrease of the matrix assembly activity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)