A locus control region in the T cell receptor alpha/delta locus.
A locus control region (LCR) is a set of cis-acting elements that regulate chromatin accessibility of a gene locus. In the T cell receptor (TCR) alpha/delta locus, an LCR might regulate the differential tissue and developmental expression and the rearrangement of TCR alpha and delta genes. We have localized a region 3' of the TCR alpha/delta locus containing eight T cell-specific nuclease hypersensitive domains (HS-1 to HS-8), which fit the characteristics of an LCR. In transgenic mice, a TCR alpha gene linked to this region is expressed at a high level, independent of the site of integration and correlates with gene copy number. The transgene is expressed in the alpha beta but not the gamma delta T cell subset and is activated at the right time during development. Proper LCR function requires the region containing HS-2 to HS-6. We propose a model of LCR competition to explain the differential regulation of TCR alpha versus delta genes during development.
Diaz
P
P
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley 94720.
Cado
D
D
Winoto
A
A
D000818:Animals; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015332:Gene Rearrangement, alpha-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D016694:Gene Rearrangement, delta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D005809:Genes, Regulator; D005914:Globins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008957:Models, Genetic; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000235:genetics*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D005914:Globins