title: Analysis of the genes encoding the mast cell function-associated antigen and its alternatively spliced transcripts.
abstract: The mast cell function-associated Ag (MAFA) is a C-type lectin that, upon being clustered, inhibits the Fc epsilon RI stimulation-induced mast cell secretory response. We here report that MAFA is encoded by a single-copy gene that spans 13 kb in the rat genome and is composed of five exons. Three separate exons encode the carbohydrate recognition domain of the MAFA, defining its close homology to the genes of CD23, CD69, CD72, NKR-P1, and Ly49. Functional analysis of the 5' flanking region of the gene reveals that a cell type-specific promoter is located within the first 664 bp upstream of the transcription origin. The promoter lacks any obvious TATA box and drives gene transcription originating from multiple start sites. Examination for possible polymorphism of the MAFA transcripts revealed two novel transcripts, generated by alternative splicing. Deletion of the transmembranal exon in one of them does not result in a frameshift and would, upon translation, give rise to a soluble MAFA molecule. Splicing of two exons in a second transcript results in a new reading frame encoding a putative protein containing MAFA's cytoplasmic domain. The transcription of the MAFA gene was detected in normal rat lungs, where both transmembranal and soluble MAFA appear to be expressed. Lung immunohistochemical analysis further suggests that MAFA expression is restricted to mast cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bocek
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Guthmann
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pecht
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing / Q000276:immunology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D005796:Genes; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D007946:Leukemia, Mast-Cell; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: C094696:Klrg1 protein, rat; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins