Description
The gamma chain of the high affinity functional human IL-2 receptor complex belongs to the hematopoietin receptor family. The common gamma chain (γc) (or CD132), also known as interleukin-2 receptor subunit gamma or IL2RG, is a member of the type I cytokine receptor family expressed on most lymphocyte (white blood cell) populations, and its gene is found on the X-chromosome of mammals. IL2RG is a 369 amino acid residue protein consisting of a 22 residue signal sequence, a 232 residue extracellular domain, a 29 residue transmembrane domain and an 86 residue cytoplasmic domain. IL2RG is a cytokine receptor sub-unit that is common to the receptor complexes for at least six different interleukin receptors: IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15 and interleukin-21 receptor. It has been proposed that IL2RG be designated the common gamma chain ( gammac). The site of molecular defects in X-linked SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency) has now been mapped to the IL-2 R gamma gene.