Diversity, rearrangement, and expression of murine T cell gamma genes.
Although the T cell gamma genes are similar in many respects to T cell receptor alpha and beta genes, earlier studies suggested that only a single gamma variable (V gamma) gene is expressed in mature T cells. We report the isolation and characterization of three new rearranged V gamma genes from murine fetal thymocytes. Although each of the new V gamma gene rearrangements is present in fetal thymocytes, two of them are undetectable in mature T cells. The levels of mRNA corresponding to each type of V gamma gene rearrangement in mature T cells are dramatically diminished compared with those in fetal thymocytes, although the abundance of two of the rearranged genes is increased in mature T cells. Our results demonstrate that there is significant expressed variability of gamma genes in immature T cells. Furthermore, the dynamics of gamma gene rearrangement and expression support the idea that gamma genes function in immature T cells.
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005796:Genes; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000032:analysis*; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000032:analysis
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell