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. 1986 Nov;6(11):4031–4038. doi: 10.1128/mcb.6.11.4031

Accessibility of the promoter sequence in the J-chain gene is regulated by chromatin changes during B-cell differentiation.

M E Minie, M E Koshland
PMCID: PMC367168  PMID: 3025626

Abstract

The gene for the immunoglobulin M (IgM)-polymerizing protein, the J chain, is activated when the mature B cell is triggered to secrete pentamer IgM. Activation of the gene was found to be associated with chromatin changes in a 240-base-pair region at the 5' end of the gene. Analyses of lymphoid lines showed that the 5' region was resistant to nuclease digestion at the immature B-cell stage; it became slightly more accessible in mature B cells and cells at an early stage in the IgM response and then displayed an open, hypersensitive structure in IgM-secreting cells. In addition, analyses of normal, mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes showed that the open hypersensitive structure was coinducible with J-chain gene expression. These results suggest that the 5' chromatin changes precede transcription, making control sequences within the site accessible to regulatory factors.

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