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B H Koller

Publications and source records attributed to B H Koller.

85 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Regulatory elements in the introns of the human HPRT gene are necessary for its expression in embryonic stem cells.

We have examined the expression of transfected human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase minigenes (HPRT) in mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. cDNA constructs of this gene that have been successfully used in somatic cell lines failed to confer hypoxanthine/aminopterin/thymidine (HAT) resistance in ES cells. In contrast, constructs containing introns 1 and 2 from the HPRT gene produced a high frequency of HAT-resistant colonies. This observation allowed us to identify two sequences in these introns that influence expression of the HPRT gene in ES cells. One element, located in intron 2, is required for effective HPRT expression in these cells; the other element, located in intron 1, acts as an enhancer of HPRT expression. Using this information, we have constructed an HPRT minigene that can be used for either positive or negative selection in ES cell experiments. This dual capability allows the design of "in-out" procedures to create subtle changes in target genes by homologous recombination with the aid of this selectable minigene.

Animals↗

Chromosomal organization of the human major histocompatibility complex class I gene family.

17 HLA class I genes have been isolated from the genome of B-lymphoblastoid cell line 721. Sequence analysis and transfection studies indicate that three genes, in addition to those encoding the HLA-A, -B, and -C antigens can direct the synthesis of a class I alpha protein (4, 5, 21). Using gene-specific DNA probes to analyze the presence of restriction fragment-length polymorphisms within a large pedigree and in panel of HLA deletion mutant cell lines, we show here that two of these genes, designated HLA-G and HLA-F, are located on the short arm of chromosome 6 telomeric to the HLA-A locus. The third expressed non-A, -B, and -C class I gene, HLA-E, is located between HLA-A and HLA-C (4). In addition, the remaining 11 class I pseudogenes and gene fragments are localized relative to established markers on chromosome 6p.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Germ-line transmission of a planned alteration made in a hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase gene by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells.

Embryonic stem cells (derived from 129/Ola mice) containing a mutant hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase gene that had been corrected in vitro in a planned manner by homologous recombination were injected into blastocysts obtained from C57BL/6J mice. The injected blastocysts were introduced into pseudopregnant female mice to complete their development. Eleven surviving pups were obtained. Nine were chimeras: six males and three females. Two of the males transmitted the embryonic stem cell genome containing the alteration in the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase gene to their offspring at high frequencies. These experiments demonstrate that a preplanned alteration in a chosen gene can be made in the germ line of an experimental animal by homologous recombination in an embryonic stem cell.

Animals↗

Inactivating the beta 2-microglobulin locus in mouse embryonic stem cells by homologous recombination.

We have inactivated, by gene targeting, the endogenous beta 2-microglobulin gene in a mouse embryonic stem cell line. A cloned fragment of the beta 2-microglobulin gene with the coding sequence disrupted by the insertion of the neomycin-resistance gene was used to transfect the embryonic stem cells. G418-resistant colonies were selected and then screened using the polymerase chain reaction to identify those in which the incoming DNA had integrated into the embryonic stem cell genome by homologous recombination. Of a total of 234 G418-resistant colonies screened, 2 correctly targeted colonies were identified. Chimeric mice carrying the inactivated beta 2-microglobulin gene have been obtained from both of these targeted embryonic cell lines. Breeding of offspring from such animals will allow investigation of the effects of homozygous loss of beta 2-microglobulin.

Animals↗

HLA-E. A novel HLA class I gene expressed in resting T lymphocytes.

A MHC class I gene, HLA-6.2, has been identified. Examination of its primary structure indicates that HLA-6.2 is the most divergent member of the class I gene family characterized to date. Tissue distribution of HLA-6.2 RNA differs from other class I genes in that the highest level of RNA is detected in resting T lymphocytes. After transfer of the HLA-6.2 gene into a class I null human lymphoblastoid cell line, a protein associated with beta 2-microglobulin is detected. Analysis of HLA deletion mutant cell lines places the HLA-6.2 gene between the HLA-C and HLA-A loci on the short arm of chromosome 6. These data support the fact that the HLA-6.2 gene is a distinct expressible HLA class I gene, which we propose be designated HLA-E.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Isolation and nucleotide sequence of a cDNA clone encoding a novel HLA class I gene.

A cDNA clone, designated JTW15, has been isolated and found to encode a novel, divergent class I HLA gene transcript. The clone was identified by its ability to hybridize with a pan-HLA class I nucleotide probe while failing to bind probes specific for the 3' untranslated exons of the HLA-A, -B, and -C genes. JTW15, 1665 nucleotides in length, represents a full length copy of an approximately 1.7-kb mRNA detected in Northern blot analyses. Comparison of the derived amino acid sequence with those of other HLA class I proteins showed JTW15 to be the most divergent HLA class I gene identified so far, the level of sequence homology being lowest for the alpha 1 and alpha 2 domains. The JTW15 gene transcript was found in a broad variety of cell types and was inducible in cells treated with IFN-gamma. JTW15 is the first isolated full length cDNA clone defining a non-HLA-ABC class I gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Transfer and expression of three cloned human non-HLA-A,B,C class I major histocompatibility complex genes in mutant lymphoblastoid cells.

The HLA-A, -B, and -C class I human histocompatibility antigens and the genes that encode them have been isolated and characterized. Apparently complete class I non-HLA-A, B, C genes have been identified on HindIII-generated 5.4-kilobase (kb), 6.0-kb, and 6.2-kb DNA fragments derived from lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) 721. We studied the expressibility of these genes by subcloning them into the nonintegrating pHeBo vector and transferring the chimeric plasmids into mutant LCL 721.221. This mutant was derived from LCL 721 by means of immunoselections following gamma-ray mutagenesis that eliminated expressions of the HLA-A, -B, and -C alpha chains. The HLA-A, B, C-null phenotype of mutant 721.221 made it possible to monitor the expression of class I genes transferred into it by assaying cell surface binding of monoclonal antibodies BBM.1 and W6/32, which recognize beta 2-microglobulin and HLA class I alpha-chain epitopes, respectively. Increased binding of BBM.1 and W6/32 was clearly observed in transferents containing the class I gene of the 6.0-kb DNA fragment but not in transferents containing the class I genes of the 5.4- and 6.2-kb DNA fragments. However, one-dimensional gel electrophoresis of BBM.1 and W6/32 immunoprecipitates made with [35S]methionine-labeled cell lysates showed that transfer of each non-HLA-A, B, C class I gene into 721.221 resulted in the appearance of an alpha chain that coprecipitated with beta 2-microglobulin. The three previously unreported alpha chains differed from each other in size and were smaller than HLA-A, -B, and -C alpha chains. These observations clearly show that these three cloned, nonallelic, non-HLA-A, B, C class I genes encode alpha chains that can be expressed in human cells.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Linkage map of the human major histocompatibility complex including the tumor necrosis factor genes.

The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha and beta gene pair has been linked in the human major histocompatibility complex to HLA-B, HLA-C, and, tentatively, HLA-E and HLA-A on one side and to the class III complement/steroid 21-hydroxylase gene cluster on the other by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The TNF genes are located 200 kilobases (kb) centromeric of HLA-B and about 350 kb telomeric of the class III cluster. Together with previous data on the linkage and structures of the class II and class III regions, a restriction map of the entire human major histocompatibility complex of about 3500 kb has been prepared.

Chromosome Mapping↗

A human major histocompatibility complex class I gene that encodes a protein with a shortened cytoplasmic segment.

We have cloned genomic DNA encoding a non-HLA-A, -B, -C class I gene located within a HindIII-generated restriction fragment of 6.0 kilobase pairs. This gene, designated HLA-6.0, is as homologous to HLA-A and HLA-B as they are to each other. The HLA class I protein encoded by HLA-6.0 is similar in organization to the HLA-A-, -B-, and -C-encoded proteins except that an in-frame termination codon prevents translation of a majority of the cytoplasmic region of the HLA-6.0 polypeptide. Moreover, the promoter region of HLA-6.0 resembles the promoter region of a Qa region gene. These structural features of HLA-6.0 suggest that this non-HLA-A, -B, -C gene is a structural homolog of a murine Qa region class I gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Comparison of multiple HLA-A alleles at the DNA level by using Southern blotting and HLA-A-specific probes.

Numerous alleles of the HLA-A gene have been serologically identified. In this report we present a rapid and straightforward means to assess HLA-A polymorphism at the genomic level. Using 5' and 3' HLA-A-specific DNA probes and Southern blotting, we have placed the recognition sequences for five endonucleases relative to the coding regions of 15 HLA-A alleles. These data permit two interesting conclusions: four of the HLA-A alleles studied are associated with unique restriction fragments, and HLA-A alleles of a cross-reactive group are more closely related at the DNA level than are noncross-reactive alleles.

Alleles↗

Cloning and complete sequence of an HLA-A2 gene: analysis of two HLA-A alleles at the nucleotide level.

The gene for the HLA-A2 antigen has been cloned from the human lymphoblastoid cell line 721. Comparison of this sequence with the published sequence for HLA-A3 permits the examination of two alleles at the extremely polymorphic HLA-A locus. A high degree of sequence conservation was seen in both coding and noncoding DNA, 97.2% and 94.5%, respectively. Interestingly, the 3' untranslated region was the most conserved, with 99.5% homology. The polymorphism of the HLA-A antigens results from a high proportion of amino acid substitutions relative to the total nucleotide changes in exons 2 and 3. Unlike the clustered differences seen in this region on comparison of two H-2K alleles of mouse, nucleotide substitutions between the HLA-A2 and A3 alleles are evenly distributed. Substitutions at silent sites and within introns were used to calculate an intra-allelic divergence time of at least 10 to 15 million years for these two HLA-A alleles.

Alleles↗

Isolation of HLA locus-specific DNA probes from the 3'-untranslated region.

When human class I cDNA clones containing coding sequences are used to probe genomic DNA, 15-20 fragments, each containing a complete class I gene or pseudogene, are seen. Identification of which genomic DNA segments encode the HLA-A and -B antigens has to date required transfection of mouse L cells with cloned class I genes or analysis of HLA loss mutants. In this report we show that under high-stringency conditions, probes constructed from the 3'-untranslated region can be used to specifically identify the segments of DNA that encode the HLA-A and -B antigens in the human lymphoblastoid cell line 721. Examination of DNA from unrelated individuals indicates that these probes are locus specific and will permit identification of HLA-A and -B genes in the population.

Cell Line↗