Cloning and modeling of the first nonmammalian CD4

We have cloned and sequenced the first nonmammalian CD4 cDNA from the chicken using the COS cell expression method. Chicken CD4 contains four extracellular Ig domains that, in analogy to mammalian CD4, are in the order V, C2, V, and C2. The molecule is 24% identical with both human and mouse sequences. The extracellular domains were modeled using human and rat CD4 crystal structures as templates. In the first domain there are two extra Cys residues that are at suitable distance to form an intra-beta-sheet disulfide bridge in addition to the canonical one in the V domain. The region responsible for the interaction with MHC class II is relatively nonconserved in chicken. However, there are positively charged amino acids in the C" region of the N-terminal domain that may mediate the association to the negatively charged residues of the MHC class II beta-chain. Molecular modeling also implies that the membrane-proximal domain mediates dimerization of chicken CD4 in a similar way as it does for human CD4. Furthermore, the cytoplasmic tail is highly conserved, containing the protein tyrosine kinase p56lck recognition site that is preceded by an adjacent di-leucine motif for the internalization of the molecule. Interestingly, there are no Ser residues in the cytoplasmic part, which may explain the slow down-regulation of chicken CD4 after phorbol ester stimulation.