Showing papers by "Cynthia L. Baldwin published in 2009"

The Genome Sequence of Taurine Cattle: A Window to Ruminant Biology and Evolution

Abstract: To understand the biology and evolution of ruminants, the cattle genome was sequenced to about sevenfold coverage. The cattle genome contains a minimum of 22,000 genes, with a core set of 14,345 orthologs shared among seven mammalian species of which 1217 are absent or undetected in noneutherian (marsupial or monotreme) genomes. Cattle-specific evolutionary breakpoint regions in chromosomes have a higher density of segmental duplications, enrichment of repetitive elements, and species-specific variations in genes associated with lactation and immune responsiveness. Genes involved in metabolism are generally highly conserved, although five metabolic genes are deleted or extensively diverged from their human orthologs. The cattle genome sequence thus provides a resource for understanding mammalian evolution and accelerating livestock genetic improvement for milk and meat production.

Genomic organization and classification of the bovine WC1 genes and expression by peripheral blood gamma delta T cells.

Abstract: WC1 co-receptors are group B scavenger receptor cysteine-rich molecules that are found exclusively on γδT cells and are thought to be encoded by a multi-gene family. Previous studies have shown γδT cells that respond to a particular stimulus have unique WC1 molecules expressed. Prior to the onset of the studies described here only one full-length WC1 nucleotide sequence was publicly available, though three WC1 molecules had been distinguished based on monoclonal antibody reactivity. Furthermore, the number of WC1 genes found in the bovine genome and their sequences had not yet been resolved. By annotating the bovine genome Btau_3.1 assembly, here we show the existence of 13 members in the WC1 gene family and their organization within two loci on chromosome 5 including three distinct exon-intron gene structures one of which coded for a potentially more primitive and smaller WC1 molecule that is similar to the swine WC1 gene. We also provide cDNA evidence as verification for many of the annotated sequences and show transcripts for isoforms derived by alternative splicing. It is possible that WC1 diversity contributes to functional differences that have been observed between γδT cell populations. The studies described here demonstrate that WC1 molecules are encoded by a large, multi-gene family whose transcripts undergo extensive alternative splicing. Similar to other non-rearranging immunoreceptors, it is likely that the WC1 gene repertoire underwent expansion in order to keep pace with rapidly changing ligands.

Tyrosine phosphorylation of scavenger receptor cysteine-rich WC1 is required for the WC1-mediated potentiation of TCR-induced T-cell proliferation.

Abstract: Workshop cluster 1 (WC1) molecules are transmembrane glycoproteins uniquely expressed by gammadelta T cells. They belong to the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich superfamily and are encoded by a multi-gene family, which is divided on the basis of antibody reactivity, into three groups, WC1.1, WC1.2, and WC1.3. The potential role of WC1 as a co-stimulatory molecule for the gammadelta TCR is suggested by the presence of several tyrosine-based motifs in their intracellular domains. In this study, we found that WC1 was constitutively phosphorylated in ex vivo bovine gammadelta T cells and associated with src family tyrosine kinases. Crosslinking of WC1 molecules resulted in an increase in WC1 phosphorylation and co-crosslinking of WC1 and gammadelta TCR together prolonged WC1 phosphorylation. We identified the second tyrosine residue as the primary phosphorylation target in WC1.1 and WC1.2 intracellular sequences in both in vitro and in vivo assays. The cytoplasmic tails of WC1.1 and WC1.2 were phosphorylated on serine and PKC activity was required for PMA-induced endocytosis of WC1.1 or WC1.2. We found that phosphorylation of the second tyrosine in the WC1 cytoplasmic domain was required for the WC1-mediated potentiation of TCR-induced T-cell proliferation, suggesting that WC1 acts as a co-stimulatory molecule for gammadelta TCR.