Transcription and recombination of the murine RS element.
The deletion of C kappa is a frequent event in lambda-producing B cells in both mice and humans. Deletions of the murine C kappa gene are mediated by recombination events that involve the RS (recombining segment) element located downstream of the C kappa gene. RS recombinations appear to be mediated by the same mechanisms involved in Ig and TCR gene rearrangement. It has been suggested that RS recombinations might activate a factor that is involved in the initiation of lambda gene rearrangement in maturing pre-B cells. We have identified a unique RNA transcript derived from the recombined RS element present in some pre-B cell lines. However, gene transfer studies indicate that this RS transcript is not sufficient to induce lambda gene recombination in pre-B cell lines. We also find that recombination of the RS element in pre-B cell lines is closely correlated with changes in chromatin structure and transcriptional activation. Thus, recombination of the RS element in pre-B cells appears to be regulated in a manner similar to the regulation of antibody gene VDJ joining.
Daitch
L E
LE
Department of Pathology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111.
Moore
M W
MW
Persiani
D M
DM
Durdik
J M
JM
Selsing
E
E
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015326:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain; D015328:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Light Chain; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D005812:Genes, Switch; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000737:chemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D015183:Restriction Mapping
D002843:Chromatin; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I