Mammalian Polycomb group genes are categorized as a new type of early response gene induced by B-cell receptor cross-linking.
Polycomb group (PcG) genes were initially described in Drosophila melanogaster as regulators of the homeobox gene. Four mammalian homologues, mel-18, bmi-1, M33 and rae-28, are analyzed in this study. They not only regulate mammalian homeotic genes by analogy with their Drosophila counterparts, but also have some influence on the growth and differentiation of B lymphocytes. Here we report that these four mammalian PcG genes are rapidly induced after antigen-receptor cross-linking in B cells. Thus we would like to propose that mammalian PcG genes can be categorized as a new type of immediate early gene.
Hasegawa
M
M
Center for BioMedical Science, School of Medicine, Chiba University and CREST of the Japan Science and Technology Corporation.
Tetsu
O
O
Kanno
R
R
Inoue
H
H
Ishihara
H
H
Kamiyasu
M
M
Taniguchi
M
M
Kanno
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005801:Genes, Homeobox; D017781:Genes, Immediate-Early; D007152:Immunologic Capping; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
C570426:Cbx2 protein, mouse; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins; D011947:Receptors, Antigen, B-Cell; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D063150:Polycomb Repressive Complex 1