title: Sequences related to immunoglobulin kappa chain messenger RNA in T cells.
abstract: We investigated by molecular hybridization whether T cells contain RNA sequences homologous to RNA which codes for immunoglobulin kappa-chain (k-chain). A radioactive probe of complementary DNA (cDNA) was prepared by transcription of purified k-chain mRNA from mouse myeloma MOPC-41 with reverse transcriptase (RNA-dependent-DNA nucleotidyltransferase) from avian myeloblastosis virus. The cDNA probably corresponded only to the constant region and 3'-terminus of k-chain mRNA. Kappa-chain cDNA was found to hybridize efficiently with RNA from both thymus cells and an established culture of thymoma cells. The thymus and thymoma cells contained 99.8% and 100% theta-positive cells, respectively. Quantitatively the average thymus T cell (thymus derived lymphocyte) contained about one half as much k-chain mRNA as the average spleen B cell ("bursa" dependent lymphocyte), whereas the thymoma cells contained only 1/33 as much. Control hybridizations of k-chain cDNA with myeloma and liver RNA support the conclusion that T cells in the thymus and in the thymoma cell line synthesize k-chain mRNA-like molecules. The thermal stability of hybrids of k-chain cDNA with RNA from spleen, thymus, thymoma, and another k-chain producing myeloma tumor was lower than that with MOPC-41 RNA. This finding may be due to the existence of several slightly different ck genes in the mouse as suggested by various control experiments.
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D013154:Spleen; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D013945:Thymoma; D013950:Thymus Gland
chemical_list: D007147:Immunoglobulin Light Chains; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D012333:RNA, Messenger