title: Structure of TGF-beta 1-induced human immunoglobulin C alpha 1 and C alpha 2 germ-line transcripts.
abstract: We have characterized the structure of the human immunoglobulin C alpha 1 and C alpha 2 germ-line transcripts that are synthesized upon treatment of human B lymphocytes with Branhamella catarrhalis (a B cell mitogen) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1). These transcripts initiate upstream of the switch alpha 1 and switch alpha 2 regions and contain, together with the C alpha 1 and C alpha 2 sequences, additional exons designated according to the generally accepted nomenclature I alpha 1 and I alpha 2 respectively. The I alpha exons are spliced directly onto the acceptor splice site of the CH1 domains of the C alpha 1 and C alpha 2 genes. As in other previously characterized germ-line transcripts, stop codons present in all three reading frames prevent translation of the C alpha 1 and C alpha 2 heavy-chain coding sequences. The longest open reading frame (ORF) present in the I exons can code for a polypeptide of only 26 amino acids. The human I alpha exons do not show any significant sequence homology with the corresponding mouse I alpha exon. However, comparison of nucleotide sequences of the genomic mouse and human I alpha regions demonstrated the presence of an approximately 300 bp highly conserved element located immediately upstream of the transcription initiation sites of the human and mouse C alpha germ-line transcripts. The isolation of the C alpha 1 and C alpha 2 germ-line transcripts will further facilitate the characterization of the molecular events responsible for the regulation of the human C alpha heavy chain loci.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Applied Cell and Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Sweden.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Olafsson
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zalcberg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Samakovlis
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hammarström
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sideras
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D006801:Humans; D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions / Q000235:genetics; D007134:Immunoglobulin Switch Region; D007137:Immunoglobulin alpha-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions; D007137:Immunoglobulin alpha-Chains; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D004247:DNA