Call Matthew E, Pyrdol Jason, Wiedmann Martin, Wucherpfennig Kai W
Department of Cancer Immunology and AIDS, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Cell. 2002 Dec 27;111(7):967-79. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(02)01194-7.
The T cell receptor (TCR) serves a critical function in the immune system and represents one of the most complex receptor structures. A striking feature is the presence of nine highly conserved, potentially charged residues in the transmembrane helices. Previous models have attempted to explain assembly based on pairwise interactions of these residues. Using a novel method for the isolation of intact radiolabeled protein complexes, we demonstrate that one basic and two acidic transmembrane residues are required for the assembly of each of the three signaling dimers with the TCR. This remarkable three-helix arrangement applies to all three assembly steps and represents the organizing principle for the formation of this intricate receptor structure.
T细胞受体(TCR)在免疫系统中发挥着关键作用,是最为复杂的受体结构之一。一个显著特征是跨膜螺旋中存在九个高度保守的、可能带电荷的残基。先前的模型试图基于这些残基的成对相互作用来解释组装过程。通过一种分离完整放射性标记蛋白复合物的新方法,我们证明了三个信号二聚体与TCR组装时,每个二聚体的组装都需要一个碱性和两个酸性跨膜残基。这种引人注目的三螺旋排列适用于所有三个组装步骤,代表了形成这种复杂受体结构的组织原则。