[Immunoglobulin genes in lymphoid cells and regulation of their transcription]

The hybridoma genomes contain polyploid sets of immunoglobulin genes. We have shown, that the hybridoma PTF-02 genome contains three genes of heavy chains and two genes of light chains. The genes responsible for antibody synthesis were cloned and their structure were determined. Investigation of the kappa gene transcription and its fragments which contain regulatory sequences revealed a nuclear factor. The latter interacts with the octanucleotide localized at the promoter region of the kappa gene. The purified factor activates the transcription of the kappa gene in a heterologous cell-free system. Together with the tissue-specific factor there is also an universal factor interacting with the octanucleotide sequence. We have shown an additional factor in lymphoid cells interact with the protein which binds to the octanucleotide sequence. We have shown an additional factor in lymphoid cells interacting with the protein which binds to the octanucleotide sequence. As a result, there is a family of factors which interact with ATTTGCAT sequence. One major factor (m.w. 60 +/- 2 kDa) is an obligatory component for the initiation of immunoglobulin genes transcription.