title: Shuttle vectors to study somatic mutagenesis and regulation of gene expression in the immune system.
abstract: Somatic mutagenesis is one of the main mechanisms for generation of diversity in the immunoglobulin genes. A family of 16 shuttle vectors has been designed to identify the mutation mechanism. These vectors are based on bovine papilloma virus replicon and carry selective markers (NmR and ApR), a mutation marker (the Escherichia coli galK) as well as several segments from the immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy- and kappa light-chain genes in different orientations. They can also be used to study general mutagenesis and the relative contribution of different DNA sequences to the regulation of gene expression by competition with trans-acting factors. These vectors start replicating in mammalian cells two days after transfection. Stable transformants carry the plasmids in an extrachromosomal form for at least three months without evidence of structural alteration.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005690:Galactose / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005796:Genes; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D005690:Galactose