title: Immunoglobulin J chain gene from the mouse.
abstract: During a primary immune response, murine B lymphocytes are induced to express the gene for the immunoglobulin J chain. As a first step in determining the mechanism of induction, genomic DNA clones encoding the murine J chain were obtained from cell lines representative of B lymphocytes before and after J chain expression. Analysis of the coding regions showed that the J chain gene has a different structure from the other immunoglobulin genes. It consists of four exons organized in a simple 7.3-kilobase transcription unit that does not require DNA rearrangement or alternative processing for expression. These structural properties indicate that transcription of the J chain gene is initiated by changes in chromatin conformation, probably involving a J chain-specific DNA-binding factor. Analysis of the 5' flanking sequences of the J chain gene, on the other hand, showed that the promoter region contains two conserved elements that have been implicated in the lymphocyte-specific expression of the light chain genes. The sharing of these elements suggests that, once the J chain gene is activated, its transcription is regulated by mechanisms similar to those controlling the light chain genes.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Matsuuchi
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Cann
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Koshland
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002843:Chromatin / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005796:Genes; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006801:Humans; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains; D004247:DNA