Isolation of cDNA clones for human erythrocyte membrane sialoglycoproteins alpha and delta.

We have isolated almost full-length cDNA clones corresponding to human erythrocyte membrane sialoglycoproteins alpha (glycophorin A) and delta (glycophorin B). The predicted amino acid sequence of delta differs at two amino acid residues from the sequence determined by peptide sequencing. The sialoglycoprotein delta clone we have isolated contains an interrupting sequence within the region that gives rise to the cleaved N-terminal leader sequence for the protein and represents a product that is unlikely to be inserted into the erythrocyte membrane. Comparison of the cDNA sequences of alpha and delta shows very strong homology at the DNA level within the coding regions. The two mRNA sequences are closely related and differ by a number of clearly defined insertions and deletions.