High expression of cloned immunoglobulin k gene in transgenic mice is restricted to B lymphocytes (original) (raw)

Nature volume 310, pages 238–241 (1984)Cite this article

Abstract

Immunoglobulin genes are normally expressed only in cells of the B lymphocyte lineage after a variable (V) and constant (C) gene rearrangement has occurred1. To study the control of immunoglobulin gene expression in a defined situation, we have produced transgenic mice by microinjecting a rearranged mouse immunoglobulin k gene (designated pB1-14) into fertilized mouse eggs2. We present here the analysis of six different _k_-transgenic mouse lines. All the transgenic mice express the microinjected k gene in a completely tissue-specific fashion. Transcripts from pB1-14 are found at a high level in the spleen, but are undetectable in nonlymphoid tissues of testis, liver, kidney, heart, muscle, brain and thyroid gland. In lymphoid cell subpopulations, the level of pB1-14 transcripts is correlated with the relative number of B cells; there is no correlation with the proportion of T lymphocytes. We concluded, therefore, that the microinjected k gene contains target sequences for B lymphocyte-specific gene activation signals that override the influence of the integration site.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hozumi, N. & Tonegawa, S. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 73, 3628–3632 (1976).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  2. Brinster, R. L. et al. Nature 306, 332–336 (1983).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  3. Walfield, A. M., Storb, U., Selsing, E. & Zentgraf, H. Nucleic Acids Res. 20, 4689–4707 (1980).
    Article Google Scholar
  4. Thomas, P. S. Proc. natn. Acad. sci. U.S.A. 77, 5201–5205 (1980).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  5. Rokhlin, O. V., Petrosyan, M. N., Ibraghimov, A. R., Vengerova, T. I. & Bogachova, G. T. Eur. J. Immun. 13, 397–403 (1983).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  6. Kemp, D. J., Wilson, A., Harris, A. W. & Shortman, K. Nature 286, 168–170 (1980).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  7. Cooper, M. D., Kearny, J. & Scher, I. in Fundamental Immunology (ed. Paul, W. E.) 43–55 (Raven, New York, 1984).
    Google Scholar
  8. Butcher, E. C. & Weissman, I. L. in Fundamental Immunology (ed. Paul, W. E.) 109–127 (Raven, New York, 1984).
    Google Scholar
  9. Lacy, E., Roberts, S., Evans, E., Burtenshaw, M. D. & Constantini, F. D. Cell 34, 343–358 (1983).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  10. Flavell, A. Nature 305, 96–97 (1983).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  11. Chung, S.-Y., Folsom, V. & Wooley, J. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 2427–2431 (1983).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  12. Emorine, L., Kuehl, M., Weir, L., Leder, P. & Max, E. E. Nature 304, 447–449 (1983).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  13. Queen, C. & Baltimore, D. Cell 33, 741–748 (1983).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  14. Picard, D. & Schaffner, W. Nature 307, 80–82 (1984).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  15. Wysocki, L. J. & Sato, V. L. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 2844–2848 (1978).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  16. Henry, C. in Selected Methods in Cellular Immunology (eds Mishell, B. B. & Shiigi, S. M.) 182–185 (W. H. Freeman, San Francisco, 1980).
    Google Scholar
  17. McMaster, G. K. & Carmichael, G. G. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 4835–4838 (1977).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  18. Denhardt, D. T. Biochem. biophys. Res. Commun. 23, 641–652 (1966).
    Google Scholar
  19. Walfield, A., Selsing, E., Arp, B. & Storb, U. Nucleic Acids Res. 9, 1101–1109 (1981).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  20. Messing, G., Crea, R. & Seeburg, P. H. Nucleic Acids Res. 9, 309–321 (1981).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  21. Hamlyn, P. H., Gait, M. J. & Milstein, C. Nucleic Acids Res. 9, 4485–4494 (1981).
    Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195, USA
    Ursula Storb, Rebecca L. O'Brien, Michael D. McMullen & Katherine A. Gollahon
  2. Laboratory of Reproductive Physiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA
    Ralph L. Brinster

Authors

  1. Ursula Storb
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Rebecca L. O'Brien
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  3. Michael D. McMullen
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  4. Katherine A. Gollahon
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  5. Ralph L. Brinster
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Storb, U., O'Brien, R., McMullen, M. et al. High expression of cloned immunoglobulin k gene in transgenic mice is restricted to B lymphocytes.Nature 310, 238–241 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310238a0

Download citation