T cell receptor genes in an alloreactive CTL clone: implications for rearrangement and germline diversity of variable gene segments.
Both cDNA and genomic clones of the T cell receptor (TCR) alpha- and beta-chain genes of the alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) clone F3 were examined. Two distinct rearrangement events, one functional and one non-functional, were found for both the alpha and beta loci. Thus only a single functional TCR alpha beta heterodimer could be defined, consistent with allelic exclusion in the TCR genes. The V alpha gene employed by F3 is part of a six-member V alpha subfamily. Genomic clones containing each member of this subfamily were isolated and the V alpha nucleotide sequences determined. Five of these six genes are functional; these genes differ from each other by 7-14% at the amino acid level. A single dominant hypervariable region was defined within this subfamily, in contrast to the pattern of variability seen between V alpha genes in general.
D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002999:Clone Cells; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D005796:Genes; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D004247:DNA