title: Valpha gene replacement in a TCRalpha knock-in mouse.
abstract: Using a TCRalpha chain knock-in mouse, we demonstrate that V-gene replacement can operate in the T cell receptor alpha locus. Functional TCRalpha chain transcripts generated by Valpha-gene replacement at the site of the Valpha-embedded heptamer were identified in splenic T cells. This finding shows that Valpha-gene replacement can likely be used to shape the peripheral T cell repertoire. The conservation of the embedded heptamer in most Valpha segments adds support to the notion that V-gene replacement is a mechanism maintained to diversify the immune system and that argues that it is common to B and T cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Golub
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kanagawa
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D015321:Gene Rearrangement; D019673:Genes, T-Cell Receptor alpha; D019674:Genes, T-Cell Receptor beta; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region