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Identification and cloning of TCF‐1, a T lymphocyte‐specific transcription factor containing a sequence‐specific HMG box.
Author(s) -
Wetering M.,
Oosterwegel M.,
Dooijes D.,
Clevers H.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1991.tb07928.x
Subject(s) - biology , enhancer , schizosaccharomyces pombe , transcription factor , microbiology and biotechnology , expression cloning , e box , response element , gene , transcription (linguistics) , testis determining factor , t cell , genetics , gene expression , promoter , peptide sequence , y chromosome , saccharomyces cerevisiae , linguistics , philosophy , immune system
CD3‐epsilon expression is controlled by a downstream T lymphocyte‐specific enhancer element. We report the identification of a T cell‐specific transcription factor, TCF‐1, binding to this element. The multimerized recognition motif of TCF‐1 constituted a T cell‐specific enhancer. Subsequent cloning of TCF‐1 identified three splice alternatives. TCF‐1 contained a single DNA‐binding HMG box most closely related to similar boxes in the putative mammalian sex‐determining gene SRY and in the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Mc mating type gene. TCF‐1 mRNA was expressed uniquely in T lymphocytes. Upon cotransfection into non‐T cells, TCF‐1 could transactivate through its cognate motif. These results identify TCF‐1 as a T cell‐specific transcription factor, which might play a role in the establishment of the mature T cell phenotype.