Murine MHC class Ib gene, H2-M2, encodes a conserved surface-expressed glycoprotein

Yuki F. Moore, Doris Lambracht-Washington, Piotr Tabaczewski, Kirsten Fischer Lindahl

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have determined the genomic sequence of H2-M2 in seven haplotypes from nine inbred strains of mice and in five wild-derived haplotypes. Except for the spretus haplotype sp1 with a premature stop codon, we found only limited polymorphism. Four of the five amino acid substitutions in the a-helices are at positions that would point out from the antigen-binding groove, indicating that the polymorphism might influence receptor recognition rather than antigen binding. The rat homologue, RTI.M2lv1, has 89% identity to H2-M2 at the nucleotide level and 91% at the amino acid level, and it also encodes an intact MHC class I glycoprotein. Chimeric proteins with α 1α2 or α3-transmembrane domains encoded by H2-Q9 were detectable on the surface of transfectants with monoclonal antibodies against Qa2, and the full-length M2 protein, labeled by fusion with green fluorescent protein, was detectable with S 19.8 monoclonal antibodies. The H2-M2 protein was thus expressed on the cell surface, even in TAP-deficient RMA-S cells at 37°C, suggesting that it is TAP-independent. We conclude that H2-M2 is a conserved mouse class Ib gene that is translated to a surface-expressed MHC class I molecule with a function still to be elucidated.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1-11
Number of pages11
JournalImmunogenetics
Volume56
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2004

Keywords

  • Cell surface molecules
  • Major histocompatibility complex
  • Mouse
  • Non-classical class I gene
  • Rat

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology
  • Genetics

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