title: The N terminus of the non-T cell activation linker (NTAL) confers inhibitory effects on pre-B cell differentiation.
abstract: SLP-65 and the linker for activation of T cells (LAT) are central adaptor proteins that link the activated pre-BCR to downstream events in pre-B cells. Recently, a new transmembrane adaptor called NTAL/LAB/LAT2 (hereafter called NTAL for non-T cell activation linker) with striking functional and structural similarity to LAT has been identified in B cells. In this study, we compare the function of NTAL and LAT in pre-BCR signaling and show that, in contrast to LAT, NTAL does not induce pre-BCR down-regulation, calcium flux, or pre-B cell differentiation. To test whether differences between NTAL-mediated and LAT-mediated signaling are caused by the missing phospholipase C (PLC)-gamma binding motif in NTAL, we inserted the PLC-gamma1/2 binding motif of LAT into NTAL. This insertion rendered NTAL capable of activating pre-BCR down-regulation and calcium flux. Unexpectedly however, the ability of NTAL to induce calcium flux was not sufficient to promote pre-B cell differentiation, suggesting that the PLC-gamma binding motif has only partial effects on NTAL-mediated pre-BCR signaling. By generating chimeric swap mutants, we identified the N terminus of NTAL as an inhibitory domain that prevents pre-B cell differentiation while allowing pre-BCR down-regulation and receptor-mediated calcium flux. Our data suggest that, in addition to the missing PLC-gamma1/2 binding motif, the N terminus is responsible for the functional differences between NTAL and LAT in pre-B cells.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biology III, Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg and Max Planck Institute for Immunobiology, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herzog
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jumaa
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D010750:Phosphoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000276:immunology; D051562:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D010738:Type C Phospholipases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport; C471359:LAB protein, mouse; C491734:Lat protein, mouse; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010750:Phosphoproteins; C496614:Bcr protein, mouse; D051562:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcr; D010738:Type C Phospholipases