Sequence of a human keratin 13 specific cDNA encompassing coil 1B through the 3' end.

An expression library established in lambda gt11 with cDNA from squamous epithelium of the human upper digestive tract was screened with an antibody raised against keratin 13. A 1.2 kb fragment from the most strongly reacting plaque was sequenced and compared to known type I keratin sequences. The highest degree of homology was detected with the murine 47K type I keratin, which we consider to be the counterpart of human keratin 13. Tryptic peptides of keratin 13 were separated on a HPLC column and one peptide was sequenced. The amino acid sequence obtained supports the identity of the cDNA. An eight codon motif has been tandemly repeated in the C-domain of keratin 13. In spite of substantial divergence by point mutations and deletions, the remaining sequence homologies suggest that the C-domains of both the human keratin 13 and the orthologous murine protein have originated from a common ancestor.