title: M17: a novel gene expressed in germinal centers.
abstract: Germinal centers are histologically distinct structures that form within the draining lymphoid tissues following immunization with T cell-dependent antigens. Here, antigen-specific B cells transform the lymphoid follicle into a site of intense B cell proliferation, differentiation and selection. To understand the molecular basis for these cellular events, we sought to isolate germinal center B cell-specific genes using subtractive cDNA libraries derived from FACS-sorted (CD45R/B220+, IgD-, Thy1.2-) lymph node B cells of immunized mice. A novel gene isolated from this library, designated M17, was found to be transcribed in spleen and, to a lesser extent, bone marrow. Strikingly, only PNA+ (germinal center) but not PNA- splenic B cells express M17. Germinal center-specific expression of M17 was confirmed by staining of histological sections of spleen with an antiserum raised against a glutathione-S-transferase-M17 fusion protein. The M17 gene comprises four exons spanning 13.2 kb, and encodes a 25 kDa cytoplasmic protein of 159 amino acids. Analysis of the amino acid sequence revealed the presence of a possible lipid binding domain and multiple potential phosphorylation sites, including a tyrosine-based activation motif. We speculate that M17 may be a signaling molecule involved in the transduction of signals from the cell surface to the cytoplasm.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Christoph
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rickert
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rajewsky
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics*; D015698:Genomic Library; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins