title: Sequence of the spacer in the recombination signal sequence affects V(D)J rearrangement frequency and correlates with nonrandom Vkappa usage in vivo.
abstract: Functional variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) gene segments contribute unequally to the primary repertoire. One factor contributing to this nonrandom usage is the relative frequency with which the different gene segments rearrange. Variation from the consensus sequence in the heptamer and nonamer of the recombination signal sequence (RSS) is therefore considered a major factor affecting the relative representation of gene segments in the primary repertoire. In this study, we show that the sequence of the spacer is also a determinant factor contributing to the frequency of rearrangement. Moreover, the effect of the spacer on recombination rates of various human Vkappa gene segments in vitro correlates with their frequency of rearrangement in vivo in pre-B cells and with their representation in the peripheral repertoire.
authors.affiliation: The Scripps Research Institute, Department of Immunology, La Jolla, California 92037, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nadel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Escuro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lugo
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Feeney
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D015321:Gene Rearrangement / Q000235:genetics*; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals / Q000235:genetics; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D021382:Protein Sorting Signals; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell