title: Evolution of antibody and T-cell receptor V genes--the antibody repertoire might have evolved abruptly.
abstract: Structural homology present between antibody genes and T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) genes include not only V genes but also D and J segments. This may indicate that the gene duplication occurred involving a large chromosomal region containing all these genes and segments. It is conceivable, however, that the TCR gene complex is the ancestor, as effective selective forces to diversity V gene sequences are provided by MHC polymorphism only for TCR V genes. Consequently, we argue that the antibody repertoire may have emerged rather abruptly in evolution.
authors.affiliation: Unit for Applied Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Umeå, Sweden.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsunaga
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Törmänen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000916:Antibody Diversity; D005075:Biological Evolution; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D008954:Models, Biological; D005810:Multigene Family; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell