title: V(D)J recombination in mouse thymocytes: double-strand breaks near T cell receptor delta rearrangement signals.
abstract: In the murine T cell receptor delta locus, V(D)J recombination events frequently involve the D2 and J1 elements. Here we report the presence of double-strand breaks at recombination signals flanking D2 in approximately 2% of thymus DNA. An excised linear species containing the sequences between D2 and J1 and a circular product of the joining of D2 and J1 recombination signals were also found. Although broken molecules with signal ends were detected, no species with coding ends could be identified. Observation of these broken molecules in thymus, but not in liver or spleen, provides the first direct evidence for an association between specific cleavage of chromosomal DNA and recombination in mammalian cells, and supports a breakage-reunion model of V(D)J recombination.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Menetski
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bosma
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gellert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism*; D016694:Gene Rearrangement, delta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D004247:DNA