The gamma 1 heavy chain gene includes all of the cis-acting elements necessary for expression of properly regulated germ-line transcripts.
The regulation of heavy chain switch recombination and the production of germ-line transcripts are highly correlated. IL-4 induces the production of murine gamma 1 germ-line transcripts, and much, if not all, of the regulation is transcriptional. We have investigated the cis-acting elements involved in the regulation of expression of germ-line transcripts by preparing transgenes with the gamma 1 locus. A construct that includes 5' flanking regions, I gamma 1, S gamma 1, and C gamma 1, is regulated like the endogenous gene. Deletion of either most of S gamma 1 or most of C gamma 1 does not alter the correctly regulated expression of the transgenes. An element common to these three different gamma 1 transgenes confers insertion-site independence and copy-number dependence on the transgenes. Finally, the absolute amount of gamma 1-line transcripts is regulated, as transgenic mice with more than 30 gamma 1 genes express no more germ-line transcripts than nontransgenic mice.
Elenich
L A
LA
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor 48109, USA.
Ford
C S
CS
Dunnick
W A
WA
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D007134:Immunoglobulin Switch Region / Q000235:genetics; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid / Q000276:immunology*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000276:immunology*; D019076:Transgenes / Q000276:immunology
D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions; D007142:Immunoglobulin gamma-Chains