Abstract
The finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) is one of the smallest cetacean species. Research into the immune system of the finless porpoise is essential to the protection of this species, but, to date, no genes coding for proteins from the tumor necrosis factor family (TNF family) have yet been reported from finless porpoises. The TNF B cell activating factor (BAFF) is critical to B cell survival, proliferation, maturation, and immunoglobulin secretion and to T cell activation. It acts through its three receptors, BAFF-R, BCMA, and TACI. In the present study, the full-length cDNA of BAFF (designated NpBAFF) from the finless porpoise was cloned using RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) techniques, and its biological activities have been characterized. To our knowledge, this is the first report of any BAFF gene being cloned from an aquatic mammal. The full-length cDNA of NpBAFF consists of 1502 bases including an 852 bp open reading frame encoding 283 amino acids. This protein was found to contain a predicted transmembrane domain, a putative furin protease cleavage site, and a typical TNF homology domain corresponding to other, known BAFF homologues. Sequence comparison indicated that the amino acid sequence o...Continue Reading
References
Nov 11, 1994·Nucleic Acids Research·J D ThompsonT J Gibson
Jun 8, 1999·The Journal of Experimental Medicine·P SchneiderJ Tschopp
Jul 10, 1999·Science·P A MooreD M Hilbert
Feb 8, 2000·Biological Chemistry·C TribouleyL T Williams
May 22, 2001·Molecular and Cellular Biology·S Xu, K P Lam
Aug 18, 2001·Science·B SchiemannM L Scott
Aug 18, 2001·Science·J S ThompsonC Ambrose
Feb 21, 2002·Cell·Yingfang LiuGongyi Zhang
Jul 3, 2002·Nature Reviews. Immunology·Fabienne Mackay, Jeffrey L Browning
Jul 13, 2002·European Journal of Immunology·Antonius G RolinkFritz Melchers
Nov 13, 2002·Annual Review of Immunology·Fabienne MackayJeffrey Browning
Feb 22, 2003·Immunity·Dhaya SeshasayeeIqbal S Grewal
Jul 17, 2003·The Journal of Clinical Investigation·Danielle T AveryStuart G Tangye
Sep 27, 2003·Blood·Anne J NovakDiane F Jelinek
Jan 7, 2004·The Journal of Experimental Medicine·Brian P O'ConnorRandolph J Noelle
Apr 15, 2005·Molecular Immunology·Lai Guan NgFabienne Mackay
Mar 23, 2006·Annual Review of Immunology·Flavius Martin, Andrew C Chan
Sep 10, 2009·Clinical and Experimental Immunology·I Moisini, A Davidson
Apr 6, 2011·Fish & Shellfish Immunology·Hongxin AiZhihui Zhao
Oct 1, 2011·Fish & Shellfish Immunology·Wenhua RenShuangquan Zhang