Analysis and expression of a cloned pre-T cell receptor gene

Science. 1994 Nov 18;266(5188):1208-12. doi: 10.1126/science.7973703.

Abstract

The T cell antigen receptor (TCR) beta chain regulates early T cell development in the absence of the TCR alpha chain. The developmentally controlled gene described here encodes the pre-TCR alpha (pT alpha) chain, which covalently associates with TCR beta and with the CD3 proteins forms a pre-TCR complex that transduces signals in immature thymocytes. Unlike the lambda 5 pre-B cell receptor protein, the pT alpha chain is a type I transmembrane protein whose cytoplasmic tail contains two potential phosphorylation sites and a Src homology 3 (SH3)-domain binding sequence. Pre-TCR alpha transfection experiments indicated that surface expression of the pre-TCR is controlled by additional developmentally regulated proteins. Identification of the pT alpha gene represents an essential step in the structure-function analysis of the pre-TCR complex.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • CD3 Complex / metabolism
  • Cell Line
  • Cloning, Molecular*
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Gene Rearrangement
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Open Reading Frames
  • Phosphorylation
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Rabbits
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / chemistry
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / genetics*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Transfection

Substances

  • CD3 Complex
  • DNA, Complementary
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
  • pre-T cell receptor alpha

Associated data

  • GENBANK/U16958
  • GENBANK/U27268