Alternative protein products with different carboxyl termini from a single class I gene, H-2Kb

Abstract

In addition to mRNA encoding the canonical form of the murine class I antigen H-2Kb (348 amino acid residues), mRNA that would encode a shortened form of H-2Kb (missing 9 amino acids from the C-terminus) has been identified in C57BL/6 spleen cells by RNase-protection studies. The alternative transcripts of H-2Kb arise through the use of different AG acceptor splice sites for exon VIII. The existence of a shortened H-2Kb protein was demonstrated by sequential immunoprecipitation. Lysates of spleen cells that had been labeled with [35S]methionine and [3H]histidine were precleared with rabbit anti-peptide serum reactive with C-terminus of the canonical H-2Kb. The shortened form of H-2Kb was imm..