Expression and Function in a Transgenic Mouse of an H-2K^b Variant Gene Obtained by Site-Directed Mutagenesis in a K^bm1 Mutant Mouse

Abstract

H-2K^b is a member of the family of highly polymorphic mouse Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I genes. An in vivo mutant of the H-2K^b allele known as bm1, differs from wild type at three amino acid residues: #152 (glu→ala); #155 (arg→tyr); and #156 (leu→tyr) (Schulze et al 1983). These changes are sufficient to elicit mutant to parent skin graft rejections and to alter class I restricted viral presentation (Melief et al 1983). Transgenic mice were used to investigate the in vivo effect on the function of each of these three amino acids by transferring into bm1 mice single amino acid K^b variant genes obtained by site directed mutagenesis. The genes were wild type Kb except for changes at #152 (glu→ala), #155 (arg→tyr) or #156 (leu→tyr). One transgenic mouse line with the K^b #152 (glu→ala) variant gene in B6.C-H-2^bm1 mice was studied extensively.