The B-cell antigen receptor of the five immunoglobulin classes.
Several proteins associate with surface IgM to form the antigen receptor. We show that just two, the alpha and beta associated chains, are sufficient to reconstitute an IgM surface receptor in fibroblasts. Contrary to expectation, a common alpha chain associates with all five immunoglobulin classes. We propose that B-cell antigen receptors consist of a common alpha/beta heterodimer associated with each immunoglobulin class. But the classes differ both in the glycosylation of their associated alpha chain and in their dependence on alpha/beta for surface transport.
Venkitaraman
A R
AR
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
Williams
G T
GT
Dariavach
P
P
Neuberger
M S
MS
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology; D006031:Glycosylation; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000378:metabolism; D007072:Immunoglobulin D / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010954:Plasmacytoma / Q000276:immunology; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007072:Immunoglobulin D; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D004247:DNA