CSHL Press News

The Yin and the Yang of B-cell Development

05/15/2007
G&D Media News Release
Embargoed Until 5pm EST on 5.14

The Yin and the Yang of B-cell Development

A new paper in the May 15th issue of Genes & Development reveals how a protein called Yin Yang 1 regulates early B cell development.

B cells are the antibody-producing cells of the body, which form the basis for the body’s recognition of foreign pathogens. B cells undergo a multi-staged maturation process, whereby variable segments of their genome are recombined in various different ways to produce the diversity of antigen recognition that underlies the immune system.

In their upcoming paper, Dr. Yang Shi (Harvard Medical School) and colleagues demonstrate that Yin Yang 1 (YY1) plays a crucial role in regulating VH to DHJH recombination, an essential event for the differentiation of pro-B cell to pre-B cell.

“VHDHJH recombination is a fascinating, but incompletely understood process, which is initiated with the movement of the IgH locus from the periphery to the center of the nucleus where the locus undergoes contraction and recombination. YY1 represents the second transcription factor demonstrated to control IgH locus contraction, thus offering a unique opportunity to investigate molecular mechanisms that control this important process,” explains Dr. Shi.


Genes & Development is a publication of the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is a private, non-profit, basic research and educational institution. Scientists at the Laboratory conduct groundbreaking research in cancer, neurobiology, plant molecular genetics, genomics and bioinformatics. The Laboratory is recognized internationally for its educational activities, which include an extensive program of scientific meetings and courses that attract more than 8000 scientists to the campus each year. For more information about the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, visit http://www.cshl.org or call the Department of Public Affairs at (516) 367-8455.

Contact:
Heather Cosel-Pieper
Genes & Development
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
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