Absence of MHC gene expression in lens and cloning of dbpB/YB-1, a DNA-binding protein expressed in mouse lens.
The status of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II gene expression in the normal mouse lens was examined. No mRNA for either class I or II genes was detectable in mouse lens, while the expression of MHC genes in other tissues generally matched immunohistochemical data from human tissues. However it was observed that MHC class I mRNA is present in the mouse lens-derived cell line alpha TN4-1. From a new-born mouse lens cDNA library a clone was obtained for the murine homologue of the DNA-binding protein dbpB/YB-1, a protein originally identified in human lymphocytes and proposed to be a negative regulator of MHC class II gene expression. Northern blots detect dbpB/YB-1 mRNA in all mouse tissues and cells examined, including both mouse lens and alpha TN4-1 cells, suggesting that dbpB/YB-1 has a general and widespread role.
Shaughnessy
M
M
Section on Molecular Structure and Function, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Wistow
G
G
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003459:Crystallins / Q000235:genetics*; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000235:genetics*; D007908:Lens, Crystalline; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
D003459:Crystallins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D066246:ErbB Receptors