The sgp-60 molecule is linked to the plasma membrane via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor.

We have recently identified a novel murine glycoprotein termed sgp-60, which is expressed on the cell surface of T and B lymphocytes. Because of the profound modulatory effects of sgp-60 on activation through the T cell receptor/CD3 complex, we have examined the membrane attachment domain of the molecule. sgp-60 is not expressed on the surface of variants of a T-T hybridoma cell line that are defective in glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor biosynthesis. In wild-type but not in mutant cells, sgp-60 can be labeled with palmitic acid. Furthermore, the molecule can be removed from the cell surface of both T and B lymphocytes by enzymatic digestion with a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. We conclude that the sgp-60 molecule is linked to the plasma membrane via a GPI anchor.