title: The BCMA gene, preferentially expressed during B lymphoid maturation, is bidirectionally transcribed.
abstract: In a previous study of a t(4;16)(q26;p13) translocation, found in a human malignant T-cell lymphoma the BCMA gene, located on chromosome band 16p13.1, has been characterized. In this study we show that the BCMA gene is organized into three exons and its major initiation transcription site is located 69 nucleotides downstream of a TATA box. RNase protection assays demonstrated that the BCMA gene is preferentially expressed in mature B cells, suggesting a role for this gene in the B-cell developmental process. A cDNA complementary to the BCMA cDNA was cloned and sequenced and its presence was assessed by RNase protection assay and anchor-PCR amplification. This antisense-BCMA RNA is transcribed from the same locus as BCMA, and exhibits mRNA characteristic features, e.g. polyadenylation and splicing. It also contains an ORF encoding a putative 115 aa polypeptide, presenting no homology with already known sequences. RNase protection assays demonstrated the simultaneous expression of natural sense and antisense-BCMA transcripts in the majority of human B-cell lines tested.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U301, Institut de Génétique Moléculaire, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Laabi
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Gras
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Brouet
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsapis
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D053301:B-Cell Maturation Antigen; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002885:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 16; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004247:DNA; D005091:Exons; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics; D016399:Lymphoma, T-Cell; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011061:Poly A; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D012260:Ribonucleases; D016385:TATA Box; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D053301:B-Cell Maturation Antigen; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; C086966:TNFRSF17 protein, human; D011061:Poly A; D004247:DNA; D012260:Ribonucleases