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Molecular cloning of KLRI1 and KLRI2, a novel pair of lectin-like natural killer-cell receptors with opposing signalling motifs

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Abstract

We here report the molecular cloning of a novel family of killer-cell lectin-like (KLR) receptors in the rat and the mouse, termed KLRI. In both species, there are two members, KLRI1 and KLRI2. While the extracellular lectin-like domains of KLRI1 and KLRI2 are similar [74% (rat) and 83% (mouse) amino acid identity], they differ intracellularly. KLRI1 has two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motifs (ITIMs) in the cytoplasmic domain, suggesting an inhibitory function. KLRI2 has no ITIM, but a positively charged lysine residue in the transmembrane region, suggesting association with activating adapter molecules. Klri1 and Klri2 are localized within the natural killer (NK) cell gene complex on rat chromosome 4 and mouse chromosome 6. By RT-PCR and Northern blot analysis KLRI1 and KLRI2 were selectively expressed by NK cells in both rat and mouse. Epitope-tagged expression constructs of rat KLRI1 and rat KLRI2 induced surface expression of a nondisulphide-linked protein of Mr 36,000/39,000 and Mr 34,000, respectively.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. Lauritzen and W. Jensen for technical assistance and L.L. Spruyt and J.G.M.C. Damoiseaux for sharing reagents. This work was supported by the Norwegian Research Council, the Norwegian Cancer Society, and Bergljot and Sigurd Skaugen’s Fund. J.C. Ryan was supported by National Institutes of Health RO1 AI 44126 and by the US Veterans Administration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

    Per C. Saether, Ingunn H. Westgaard, Line M. Flornes, Sigurd E. Hoelsbrekken, Sigbjørn Fossum & Erik Dissen

  2. Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northern California Institute for Research and Education, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94121, USA

    James C. Ryan

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  1. Per C. Saether
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  2. Ingunn H. Westgaard
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  3. Line M. Flornes
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  4. Sigurd E. Hoelsbrekken
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  5. James C. Ryan
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  6. Sigbjørn Fossum
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  7. Erik Dissen
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Correspondence to Per C. Saether.

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Saether, P.C., Westgaard, I.H., Flornes, L.M. et al. Molecular cloning of KLRI1 and KLRI2, a novel pair of lectin-like natural killer-cell receptors with opposing signalling motifs. Immunogenetics 56, 833–839 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-004-0759-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-004-0759-x

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