Dimerization of small integral membrane protein 1 promotes cell surface presentation of the Vel blood group epitope

• The Vel blood group antigen is carried on the short extracellular segment of the 78-amino-acid-long, type II transmembrane protein SMIM1 of unknown function. Here, using biochemical analysis and flow cytometry of cells expressing wild-type and mutant alleles of SMIM1, we demonstrate that dimerization of SMIM1 promotes cell surface display of the Vel epitope. We show that SMIM1 dimerization is mediated both by an extracellular Cys77-dependent, homomeric disulfide linkage and via a GxxxG helix–helix interaction motif in the transmembrane domain. These results provide important context for the observed variability in reactivity patterns of clinically important anti-Vel identified in patient sera.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Immunologi inom det medicinska området (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Immunology in the medical area (hsv//eng)

Keyword

disulfide bond

GxxxG

SMIM1

transfusion medicine

Vel blood group system

Publication and Content Type

art (subject category)

ref (subject category)