Characterization of a Novel Gene in the Extended MHC Region of Mouse, NG29/Cd320, a Homolog of the Human CD320

BACKGROUND: The MHC region of the chromosome contains a lot of genes involved in immune responses. Here we have investigated the mouse NG29/Cd320 gene in the centrometrically extended MHC region of chromosome 17. METHODS: We cloned the NG29 gene by RT-PCR and confirmed the tissue distribution of its gene expression by northern blot hybridization. We generated the NG29 gene expression constructs and polyclonal antibody against the NG29 protein to perform the immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation and flow cytometric analysis. RESULTS: The murine NG29 gene and its human homologue, the CD320/8D6 gene, were similar in the gene structure and tissue expression patterns. We cloned the NG29 gene and confirmed its expression in plasma membrane and intracellular compartments by transfecting its expresssion constructs into HEK 293T cells. The immunoprecipitation studies with rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against the NG29-NusA fusion protein indicated that NG29 protein was a glycoprotein of about 45 kDa size. A flow cytometric analysis also showed the NG29 expression on the surface of Raw 264.7 macrophage cell line. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that NG29 gene in mouse extended MHC class II region was the orthologue of human CD320 gene even though human CD320/8D6 gene was located in non-MHC region, chromosome 19p13.