Blimp-1, a novel zinc finger-containing protein that can drive the maturation of B lymphocytes into immunoglobulin-secreting cells.
We describe a novel gene, Blimp-1 (for B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein), transcripts of which are rapidly induced during the differentiation of B lymphocytes into immunoglobulin secretory cells and whose expression is characteristic of late B and plasma cell lines. The 856 amino acid open reading frame contains five Krüppel-type zinc finger motifs and proline-rich and acidic regions similar to those of known transcription factors. Serological studies show an approximately 100 kd protein that localizes to the nucleus. Stable or transient transfection of Blimp-1 into B cell lymphoma lines leads to the expression of many of the phenotypic changes associated with B cell differentiation into an early plasma cell stage, including induction of J chain message and immunoglobulin secretion, up-regulation of Syndecan-1, and increased cell size and granularity. Thus, Blimp-1 appears to be a pleiotropic regulatory factor capable of at least partially driving the terminal differentiation of B cells.
Turner
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Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305-5428.
Mack
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Davis
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D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin / Q000235:genetics*; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010950:Plasma Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000074462:Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D014162:Transfection; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics*
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007144:Immunoglobulin J-Chains; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C513258:Prdm1 protein, mouse; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000074462:Positive Regulatory Domain I-Binding Factor 1