Glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol linkage as a mechanism for cell-surface expression of immunoglobulin D

• Published in: Nature (London) 1992-03, Vol.356 (6366), p.246-248
• Main Authors: Wienands, Jürgen, Reth, Michael
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Transport; Blotting, Western; Cell Line; Cell Membrane - immunology; Cellular biology; Cloning, Molecular; expression; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fundamental immunology; Gene Expression; Glycolipids - metabolism; Glycosylphosphatidylinositols; Humanities and Social Sciences; Immunity (Disease); Immunobiology; immunoglobulin D; Immunoglobulin D - analysis; Immunoglobulin D - genetics; Immunoglobulin D - metabolism; letter; lymphocytes B; Lymphoid cells: ontogeny, maturation, markers, receptors, circulation and recirculation; Macromolecular Substances; mechanisms; Membranes; Molecules; multidisciplinary; Multiple Myeloma - immunology; Phosphatidylinositol Diacylglycerol-Lyase; Phosphatidylinositols - metabolism; Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases - metabolism; Proteins; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Transfection
• ISSN: 0028-0836; 1476-4687
• DOI: 10.1038/356246a0

THE B-cell antigen receptor of the IgM and IgD class is a multimeric complex consisting of the membrane-bound form of the immunoglobulin molecule and two other proteins, Ig- α and Ig- β 1–8 . The Ig-α and Ig-β proteins form a disulphide-linked α/β heterodimer and are encoded by the mb -l (refs 9, 10) and B29 genes 11,12 , respectively 13,14 . Surface expression of the membrane-bound IgM molecule requires assembly with the α/β heterodimer 1,3,4,8 . The IgD molecule, however, can be expressed on the cell surface in an α/β -dependent and -independent form 8,15 . We show here that in the α/β -independent form the IgD molecule is anchored in the plasma membrane through a glycosyl-phos-phatidylinositol linker. In the presence of the α/β heterodimer, most of the otherwise glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-linked IgD molecule is expressed on the cell surface as transmembrane proteins.