title: Identification and cloning of TCF-1, a T lymphocyte-specific transcription factor containing a sequence-specific HMG box.
abstract: CD3-epsilon expression is controlled by a downstream T lymphocyte-specific enhancer element. We report the identification of a T cell-specific transcription factor, TCF-1, binding to this element. The multimerized recognition motif of TCF-1 constituted a T cell-specific enhancer. Subsequent cloning of TCF-1 identified three splice alternatives. TCF-1 contained a single DNA-binding HMG box most closely related to similar boxes in the putative mammalian sex-determining gene SRY and in the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Mc mating type gene. TCF-1 mRNA was expressed uniquely in T lymphocytes. Upon cotransfection into non-T cells, TCF-1 could transactivate through its cognate motif. These results identify TCF-1 as a T cell-specific transcription factor, which might play a role in the establishment of the mature T cell phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van de Wetering
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oosterwegel
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dooijes
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Clevers
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D002460:Cell Line; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D012326:RNA Splicing; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D051822:T Cell Transcription Factor 1; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D051822:T Cell Transcription Factor 1; C497576:TCF7 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors