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Cloning and characterization of Xenopus beta 2-microglobulin

Stewart, R.; Ohta, Y.; Minter, R.R.; Gibbons, T.; Horton, T.L.; Ritchie, P.; Horton, J.D.; Flajnik, F.; Watson, M.D.

Authors

R. Stewart

Y. Ohta

R.R. Minter

T. Gibbons

T.L. Horton

P. Ritchie

J.D. Horton

F. Flajnik

M.D. Watson



Abstract

cDNAs for Xenopus β2-microglobulin (β2m), the obligatory light chain of most vertebrate Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I molecules, were isolated and ESTs were identified. Alignment of the deduced amino acid sequence to other species' β2m showed that the overall structure is evolutionarily conserved, and phylogenetic analysis showed that the Xenopus β2m sequence is intermediate between fish and bird/mammal β2m. The Xenopus β2m mRNA is expressed ubiquitously with highest expression in intestine, spleen, and thymus, correlating well with classical class Ia expression. β2m mRNA and protein were also detected in Xenopus thymic tumor and kidney cell lines. Segregation analysis on a tetraploid Xenopus laevis family revealed two independently segregating, non-MHC-linked loci. As expected, only one locus was found in the diploid Xenopus tropicalis, strongly suggesting that the two β2m loci in the tetraploid species were generated by genome-wide duplication, and did not undergo diploidization unlike many other MHC genes.

Citation

Stewart, R., Ohta, Y., Minter, R., Gibbons, T., Horton, T., Ritchie, P., …Watson, M. (2005). Cloning and characterization of Xenopus beta 2-microglobulin. Developmental and Comparative Immunology, 29(8), 723-732. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2004.12.004

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 1, 2005
Deposit Date May 16, 2007
Journal Developmental and Comparative Immunology
Print ISSN 0145-305X
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 29
Issue 8
Pages 723-732
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dci.2004.12.004
Keywords β2 microglobulin, Xenopus, MHC Class I, cDNA, Antibody.
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1554975