A pre-B cell nuclear protein that specifically interacts with the immunoglobulin V-J recombination sequences

DNA-nuclear protein interactions were studied with synthetic recombination signal sequences (RSSs) for immunoglobulin V-J joining. With a gel retardation assay, a DNA-binding protein that specifically interacts with RSSs was detected in nuclear extracts from a pre-B cell line, 38B9. This protein was found in all the recombination-competent pre-B cell lines tested in this study, but not in myeloma, mature T cell, monocyte, or fibroblast cell lines. DNA footprint analysis with dimethyl sulfate demonstrated that the 7-mer region of the RSS was strongly protected when complexed with the binding protein. Furthermore, a single base substitution in the 7-mer region totally abolished the binding. The molecular mechanism of V-J joining is discussed in the context of the RSS-binding protein.