The cytoplasmic regions of the mouse low-affhity FcyRII isoforms, mFcyRIIb1, and mFcyRIIb2, play a key role in signal transduction by mediating different cellular functions. mFcyRIIbl has a 94-residue cytoplasmic region, whereas mFcyRIIb2 has a 47-residue cytoplasmic region. Genes encoding the cytoplasmic regions of mFcyRIIbl (bl-94) and mFcyRIIb2 (b2-47) were designed, synthesized, and expressed as fusion proteins in Escherichia coli. A sequencespecific protease, thrombin, was used to release the bl-94 peptide, which was purified by using HPLC. The b2-47 peptide was synthesized chemically. CD spectropolarimetry was employed to examine the secondary structures of bl-94 and b2-47. These studies were conducted in aqueous solution, in mixtures of water and trifluoroethanol or methanol, and as a function of temperature. The results indicate that the bl-94 and b2-47 structures are sensitive functions of the solvent environment, and that nonaqueous solvents induce significant a-helical structure. , 1991;Fridman et al., 1992;Hulett & Hogarth, 1994;Indik et al., 1995). In mouse and human, there are at least three Fcy receptors, denoted FcyRI, FcyRII, and FcyRIII. The present work concerns mouse FcyRII (mFcyRII). This receptor is found on numerous cell types, including lymphocytes, neutrophils, macrophages, eosinophils, platelets, mast cells, and monocytes; and is thought to participate in a number of biological processes, including endocytosis, phagocytosis, Reprint requests to: Gary J. Pielak or Nancy L. Thompson, Department of Chemistry, Campus Box 3290, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290; e-mail: gary-pielak@unc.edu or nlt@unc.edu.Abbreviarions: bl-94, 94-amino acid cytoplasmic region of mFcyRIIbl with a methionine and six histidine residues at the C-terminus; b2-47, 47-amino acid cytoplasmic region of mFcyRIIb2; DHFF, dihydrofolate reductase; IgG, immunoglobulin G; IF'TG, iso-propyl-/%D-thiogalactoside; ITAM, immune receptor tyrosine-based activation motif; ITIM, immune receptor tyrosine-based inhibitor motif; MBP, maltose-binding protein; MBPbl-94, MBP fusion with thrombin cleavage site and bl-94; MBP-DHFFb2-47, MBP-DHFR fusion with thrombin cleavage site, b2-47, and a methionine and six histidine residues at the C-terminus; NTA, nitrilotriacetic acid; pLC47, plasmid containing the MBP-DHFR-b2-47 gene; pLC94, plasmid containing the MBP-bl-94 gene; pMAL-c2, plasmid containing the MBP gene; TFE, trifluoroethanol; 1B4C14, monoclonal antibody against bl-94 and b2-47.