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

C Saint-Ruf, K Ungewiss, M Groettrup, L Bruno… - Science, 1994 - science.org
C Saint-Ruf, K Ungewiss, M Groettrup, L Bruno, HJ Fehling, H von Boehmer
Science, 1994science.org
The T cell antigen receptor (TCR) β chain regulates early T cell development in the absence
of the TCRα chain. The developmentally controlled gene described here encodes the pre-
TCRα (pTα) chain, which covalently associates with TCRβ and with the CD3 proteins forms
a pre-TCR complex that transduces signals in immature thymocytes. Unlike the λ5 pre-B cell
receptor protein, the pTα chain is a type I transmembrane protein whose cytoplasmic tail
contains two potential phosphorylation sites and a Src homology 3 (SH3)-domain binding …
The T cell antigen receptor (TCR) β chain regulates early T cell development in the absence of the TCRα chain. The developmentally controlled gene described here encodes the pre-TCRα (pTα) chain, which covalently associates with TCRβ and with the CD3 proteins forms a pre-TCR complex that transduces signals in immature thymocytes. Unlike the λ5 pre-B cell receptor protein, the pTα 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-TCRα transfection experiments indicated that surface expression of the pre-TCR is controlled by additional developmentally regulated proteins. Identification of the pTα gene represents an essential step in the structure-function analysis of the pre-TCR complex.
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