The primary structure of mu-chain-disease protein BOT. Peculiar amino-acid sequence of the N-terminal 42 positions.

The complete primary structure of the mu heavy-chain disease (mu-HCD) protein BOT has been determined. The monomeric HCD-mu-chain consists of 391 amino-acid residues, lacking the VH and mu CH1 domains but including the entire CH2, CH3 and CH4 domains (349 residues). The sequence of the preceding 42 N-terminal residues which we designate as the "pre-C-part" presents no homology to any known variable or constant immunoglobulin sequence, but contains an internal homology of positions 10-19 to positions 20-29. The origin of the "pre-C-part" structure and the deletion of the mu CH1 domain of protein BOT are discussed.