An H-YDb epitope is encoded by a novel mouse Y chromosome gene.
Rejection of male tissue grafts by genotypically identical female mice has been explained by the existence of a male-specific transplantation antigen, H-Y (ref. 1), but the molecular nature of H-Y antigen has remained obscure. Hya, the murine locus controlling H-Y expression, has been localized to delta Sxrb, a deletion interval of the short arm of the Y chromosome. In mice, H-Y antigen comprises at least four distinct epitopes, each recognized by a specific T lymphocyte clone. It has recently been shown that one of these epitopes, H-YKk, is a peptide encoded by the Y-linked Smcy gene, presented at the cell surface with the H-2Kk major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule. However, deletion mapping and the analysis of variable inactivation of H-Y epitopes has suggested that the Hya locus may be genetically complex. Here we describe a novel mouse Y chromosome gene which we call Uty (ubiquitously transcribed tetratricopeptide repeat gene on the Y chromosome). We identify the peptide WMHHNMDLI derived from the UTY protein as an H-Y epitope, H-YDb. Our data formally demonstrate that H-Y antigen is the product of more than one gene on the Y chromosome.
Greenfield
A
A
Centre for Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. a.greenfield@har.mrc.ac.uk
Scott
D
D
Pennisi
D
D
Ehrmann
I
I
Ellis
P
P
Cooper
L
L
Simpson
E
E
Koopman
P
P
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002460:Cell Line; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D000939:Epitopes / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D006182:H-Y Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014162:Transfection; D014998:Y Chromosome
D000939:Epitopes; D006182:H-Y Antigen; D015778:Minor Histocompatibility Antigens; D011506:Proteins; C102450:Uty protein, mouse