title: Molecular characterization of the nonspecific cytotoxic cell receptor (NCCRP-1) demonstrates gilthead seabream NCC heterogeneity.
abstract: Teleost fish NCCs (nonspecific cytotoxic cells) are thought to be the evolutionary precursors of the mammalian NK cells. A novel mechanism mediating the NCC-mediated cytotoxicity has been described in teleosts. Now, this NCC receptor protein-1 (NCCRP-1) was characterized in gilthead seabream. The NCCRP-1 full-length sequence contains 1036 bp with an open reading frame of 702 bp. A comparison of the predicted 233-amino acid protein with several fish orthologues indicates a highly conserved sequence containing the F-box associated (FBA) domain and proline-rich motifs (PRM) characteristics of this family. The phylogenetical tree shows that seabream NCCRP-1 belongs to the NCCRP subfamily within the FBA family of proteins. This is a single copy gene with a constitutive and ubiquitous expression as determined by RT-PCR and flow cytometry. The results show that lymphocytes, monocyte/macrophages and acidophilic granulocytes from lymphoid tissues express the receptor, both at gene and protein level. Immunofluorescence microscopic observations confirm the previous results. The implications of this receptor on seabream NCC activity are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Fish Innate Immune System Group, Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuesta
authors.forename: Maria Angeles
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meseguer
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007107:Immune System / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011946:Receptors, Antigen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D021541:Sea Bream / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011946:Receptors, Antigen; C110644:nonspecific cytotoxic cell receptor protein 1