Identification of a Ca(2+)-dependent agarose-binding protein in chicken serum.

A Ca(2+)-dependent agarose-binding protein was purified from chicken serum by affinity chromatography on SeaKem agarose gels followed by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300. Purified protein was eluted in a symmetrical peak at the position of molecular weight of 146,000. In sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, it was resolved into a single protein band with a molecular weight of 39,000 under nonreducing and of 41,000 under reducing conditions. Thus, the agarose-binding protein is suggested to be composed of noncovalently-associated identical subunits which contain intrachain disulfide bonds.