The characterization of murine BCMA gene defines it as a new member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily

The BCMA gene is a new gene discovered by the molecular analysis of a t(4;16) translocation, characteristic of a human T cell lymphoma. It has no significant similarity with any known protein or motif, so that its function was unknown. This report describes the cloning of murine BCMA cDNA and its genomic counterpart. The mouse gene is organized into three exons, like the human gene, and lies in murine chromosome 16, in the 16B3 band, the counterpart of the human chromosome 16p13 band, where the human gene lies. Murine BCMA cDNA encodes a 185 amino acids protein (184 residues for the human), has a potential central transmembrane segment like the human protein and is 62% identical to it. The murine BCMA mRNA is found mainly in lymphoid tissues, as is human BCMA mRNA. Alignment of the murine and human BCMA protein sequences revealed a conserved motif of six cysteines in the N-terminal part, which strongly suggests that the BCMA protein belongs to the tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily. Human BCMA is the first member of the TNFR family to be implicated in a chromosomal translocation.