Positive selection through a motif in the alphabeta T cell receptor.
The two lineages of T cells, alphabeta and gammadelta, differ in their developmental requirements: only alphabeta T cells require major histocompatibility complex recognition, a process known as positive selection. The alphabeta T cell receptor (TCR), but not its gammadelta counterpart, contains a motif within the alpha-chain connecting peptide domain (alpha-CPM) that has been conserved over the last 500 million years. In transgenic mice expressing an alphabeta TCR lacking the alpha-CPM, thymocytes were blocked in positive selection but could undergo negative selection. Thus, the alpha-CPM seems to participate in the generation of signals required for positive selection.
Bäckström
B T
BT
Basel Institute for Immunology, CH-4005 Basel, Switzerland.
Müller
U
U
Hausmann
B
B
Palmer
E
E
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D008024:Ligands; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000032:analysis; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000276:immunology
D017252:CD3 Complex; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D008024:Ligands; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D017260:Receptor-CD3 Complex, Antigen, T-Cell; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; C054979:antigen T cell receptor, zeta chain