A peptide, parathymosin alpha, containing approximately equal to 105 amino acid residues, has been isolated from rat thymus, and the sequence of the first 30 residues at the NH2 terminus has been determined. In this region, it shows 43% structural identity with thymosin alpha 1 and prothymosin alpha. The common sequences do not include residues 2-9, which accounts for the poor reactivity of parathymosin alpha with an antibody directed against this epitope in thymosin alpha 1. Parathymosin alpha appears to modulate the action of prothymosin alpha in protecting sensitive strains of mice against opportunistic infection with Candida albicans.
Authors
Haritos, A A; Salvin, S B; Blacher, R; Stein, S; Horecker, B L