Cell surface expression of an in vitro recombinant class II/class I major histocompatibility complex gene product

Abstract

Chimeric histocompatibility genes encoding the amino-terminal (β1) domain of the class II Aβk polypeptide and the carboxy-terminal (C2, transmembrane, and intracytoplasmic) domains of either the class I H-2Ld or H-2Dd molecules were stably introduced into mouse L cells. Although both were transcribed, only 5′ Aβk/3′ H-2Dd transformants had significant cell membrane expression of a 30-40 kd, heterogeneous glycoprotein containing Aβ1k and H-2Dd (C2) serological epitopes. These transformants had a unique pattern of reactivity with monoclonal antibodies previously identified as requiring the Aβ1k domain for recognition of complete I-A molecules. These results allow new insight into the structura..