title: Molecular requirements for the mu-induced light chain gene rearrangement in pre-B cells.
abstract: During B cell differentiation rearrangement of immunoglobulin (Ig) genes is partially regulated by the Ig proteins. Rearrangement of heavy (H) chain genes is inhibited, whilst that of light (L) chain genes is induced by the membrane form of the mu H chain. In order to analyse additional structural requirements of mu induced L chain gene rearrangement we transfected wild-type mu and mutant mu constructs lacking functional exons encoding the first or second constant domains into Abelson murine leukemia virus (AMuLV) transformed pre-B cells. All mu chains are expressed on the surface of the pre-B cell and all associate with omega and iota, two proteins forming a surrogate light chain, necessary for mu membrane expression. Nevertheless, only wild-type mu and not the mutant mu proteins promote L gene rearrangement. A heterodimer of proteins with Mr of 33 kd and 36 kd was found associated with wild-type but not with the mutant mu proteins. Continuous presence of mu is required for L chain gene recombination since loss of mu stopped and readdition of mu started L gene rearrangement. We propose that the protein complex composed of mu and the 33 kd/36 kd protein heterodimer is responsible for the activation of the L chain gene locus and its rearrangement.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Immunbiologie, Freiburg, FRG.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iglesias
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kopf
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bühler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Köhler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015326:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain / Q000235:genetics; D015328:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Light Chain / Q000235:genetics*; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009154:Mutation; D012313:RNA / Q000032:analysis; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D054444:Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate; D007148:Immunoglobulin mu-Chains; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA