title: Molecular cloning of the BCL-6 gene, a transcriptional repressor for B-cell differentiation, in torafugu (Takifugu rubripes).
abstract: B-cell lymphoma-6 (BCL-6) is a transcriptional repressor that prevents the terminal differentiation of mature B-cells to plasma cells, and is essential for germinal center formation in the primary lymphoid organs of mammals. In this study, we identified the BCL-6 gene in torafugu (Takifugu rubripes) using the torafugu genome database, and analyzed the expression of BCL-6 mRNA in various tissues of torafugu, using RT-PCR. The BCL-6 gene consisted of eight exons and seven introns spanning a genome of ca. 3.3 kb. BCL-6 mRNA contained a 2112 bp open reading frame encoding 703 amino acids, with a predicted protein size of 78.8 kDa. The predicted torafugu BCL-6 primary structure contains two conserved specific motifs, the BTB/POZ domain at the N-terminus and the sixC2H2-type zinc finger motifs at the C-terminal region. The homology of torafugu BCL-6 to those of zebrafish (Danio rerio), Xenopus laevis, mouse (Mus musculus) and human (Homo sapiens) is 76, 59, 60 and 60%, respectively. RT-PCR analysis revealed that BCL-6 mRNA is highly expressed in pronephros, thymus, intestine, ovary, brain, nasal cavity and muscle. These results imply that torafugu BCL-6 is involved in regulation of B-cell differentiation in torafugu.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Marine Bioresources, Faculty of Biotechnology, Fukui Prefectural University, 49-8-2 Katsumi, Obama, Fukui 917-0116, Japan.
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohtani
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyadai
authors.forename: Shingo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hiroishi
mesh_terms: D020816:Amino Acid Motifs / Q000235:genetics; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D023741:Takifugu / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D051560:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-6; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins