title: Myelin/oligodendrocyte glycoprotein is a unique member of the immunoglobulin superfamily.
abstract: Myelin/oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is a primary target autoantigen in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, a widely used animal model for autoimmune demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis. We have isolated several rat MOG cDNAs and confirmed their identity by comparison with MOG N-terminal peptide sequence. As expected, MOG mRNA expression is CNS-specific and peaks during active myelination. Our studies show that full length MOG mRNA is approximately 1.6 kb and encodes a signal peptide of 27 amino acids, followed by 218 residues for mature MOG (24,962 MW). A single site for N-glycosylation is found at Asn-31. Rather than the ubiquitous AAUAAA polyadenylation signal, a series of three overlapping, rare poly A signals were identified. The N-terminal half of mature MOG shares 52% identity with bovine butyrophilin, a possible lipid receptor. This same region has 39% identity with chicken B-G antigen, a major histocompatibility complex antigen involved in B cell selection and immune repertoire development. We show that both MOG and butyrophilin, each exhibiting a single Ig-like variable region domain, meet criteria for inclusion in the immunoglobulin superfamily. Moreover, MOG appears to represent a unique member of this superfamily in that it possesses two potential transmembrane domains, in contrast to a single membrane-spanning domain or glycophospholipid anchor found in all other members of Ig superfamily members.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, CHUV, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Gardinier
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amiguet
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Linington
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Matthieu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D015698:Genomic Library; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; C571328:Mog protein, rat; D009185:Myelin Proteins; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004247:DNA