TCR beta and TCR alpha gene enhancers confer tissue- and stage-specificity on V(D)J recombination events.
We describe transgenic mice carrying germline variable gene segments associated with either the T cell receptor (TCR) beta or alpha gene enhancers (E beta or E alpha). Transgenic constructs underwent high rates of site-specific rearrangements predominantly in T cells from independent mice. Rearrangements of the E beta-containing transgenes began at different stages of T cell differentiation in embryonic and adult thymus than did the E alpha-containing ones, with a pattern superimposable upon the patterns of TCR beta or TCR alpha gene expression, respectively. We demonstrate that sequences within the TCR beta and TCR alpha gene enhancers confer tissue- and stage-specificity upon the V(D)J recombination events affecting adjacent gene segments. The patterns of transgene expression also gave information on developmental events and lineage relationships (gamma delta versus alpha beta) during T cell development.
Capone
M
M
Centre d'Immunologie INSERM-CNRS de Marseille-Luminy, France.
Watrin
F
F
Fernex
C
C
Horvat
B
B
Krippl
B
B
Wu
L
L
Scollay
R
R
Ferrier
P
P
D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D015332:Gene Rearrangement, alpha-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D015333:Gene Rearrangement, beta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000276:immunology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000196:embryology / Q000276:immunology; D045567:VDJ Recombinases
D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D045567:VDJ Recombinases