Qa-region class I gene expression: identification of a second class I gene, Q9, encoding a Qa-2 polypeptide.
A feature of the expression of the tissue-specific class I antigen Qa-2 is the quantitative variation among mouse strains. Recently, the class I gene Q7 has been shown to encode a protein product that is biochemically indistinguishable from the lymphocyte-bound Qa-2 molecule. Utilizing gene transfection, we have identified a second Qa-2 subregion class I gene (Q9), in H-2b mice, which encodes a polypeptide biochemically similar to the Q7 and the Qa-2 polypeptides. Furthermore, we have observed that cell lines transfected with the allelic forms of the Q7 gene from C57BL/10 (Qa-2hi) or BALB/C (Qa-2low) display quantitative differences in cell-surface expression. Based on these studies, we suggest that gene dosage and allele-specific variation in cell-surface expression contribute to the strain-specific variation in the levels of Qa-2 antigen expression.
Soloski
M J
MJ
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205.
Hood
L
L
Stroynowski
I
I
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008049:Lipase / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000378:metabolism
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D006183:H-2 Antigens; C032876:H-2Kb protein, mouse; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; C032907:Q surface antigens; D008049:Lipase; D010738:Type C Phospholipases