title: In vivo and in vitro studies of immunoglobulin gene somatic hypermutation.
abstract: Following antigen encounter, two distinct processes modify immunoglobulin genes. The variable region is diversified by somatic hypermutation while the constant region may be changed by class-switch recombination. Although both genetic events can occur concurrently within germinal centre B cells, there are examples of each occurring independently of the other. Here we compare the contributions of class-switch recombination and somatic hypermutation to the diversification of the serum immunoglobulin repertoire and review evidence that suggests that, despite clear differences, the two processes may share some aspects of their mechanism in common.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK. jes@mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Sale
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bemark
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Jolly
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ehrenstein
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rada
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milstein
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Neuberger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D020029:Base Pairing; D001692:Biological Transport; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000235:genetics; D020862:GC Rich Sequence; D016259:Genes, myc; D006801:Humans; D017578:Immunoglobulin Class Switching; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
chemical_list: D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes; D007136:Immunoglobulins