Mutations in any of the genes encoding the alpha, beta or gamma-sarcoglycan components of dystrophin-associated glycoproteins result in both sporadic and familial cases of either limb-girdle muscular dystrophy or severe childhood autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy. The collective name 'sarcoglycanopathies' has been proposed for these forms. We report the identification of a fourth member of the human sarcoglycan family. We named this novel cDNA delta-sarcoglycan. Its mRNA expression is abundant in striated and smooth muscles, with a main 8 kb transcript, encoding a predicted basic transmembrane glycoprotein of 290 amino acids. Antibodies specifically raised against this protein recognized a single band at 35 kDa on western blots of human and mouse muscle. Immunohistochemical staining revealed a unique sarcolemmal localization. FISH, radiation hybrid and YAC mapping concordantly linked the delta-sarcoglycan gene to 5q33, close to D5S487 and D5S1439. The gene spans at least 100 kb and is composed of eight exons. The identification of a novel sarcoglycan component modifies the current model of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex.

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