Multiple sequence alignments of the deduced amino acid sequences of the repeat regions of the alpha-like proteins. Alignments of the repeat regions illustrated conserved motifs near the beginnings and ends of the repeats. Black boxes indicate identity, and gray boxes indicate similarity. Al2alpha, alpha-like repeat element from Alp2; Alphac, alpha C protein repeat element; Al3b, B repeat element from Alp3; Rib, repeat element from protein Rib; Al2b, B repeat element from Al2; Espb, B repeat element from Esp; Espc, C repeat element from Esp; Al2au, A repeat element and beginning of U region from Alp2A. Because the sequence of R28 from GAS essentially is identical to that of Alp3 (98% overall, 96% within the region shown above), it was not included as a separate protein in this figure. Alpha C protein sequence is from ref. 7. Rib sequence is from ref. 10. Esp sequence is from ref. 24.