Rearrangements of T cell receptor loci can be found only rarely in B lymphoid cells.
We have studied the rearrangement status of the T cell receptor genes in 64 B lymphoid cell lines, and we found that, unlike the immunoglobulin heavy chain genes in T lymphocytes, T cell receptor beta and related gamma chain genes are almost always in germ-line configuration in B lymphoid cells. The only exception was a myeloma MOPC511 (IgA, chi) which contained all T cell receptor genes, beta 1, beta 2, gamma 1, gamma 2, gamma 3 and alpha, in rearranged configuration in both homologous chromosomes. This exception supports the concept that all immunoglobulin and T cell receptor genes exploit the same recombinase to build their complete variable regions. Obviously, in MOPC511 cells the regulation, which confers the tissue specificity i.e. T vs. B lymphocytes, has failed.
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005796:Genes; D006801:Humans; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology
D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D004262:DNA Restriction Enzymes