Emerging links between hypermutation of antibody genes and DNA polymerases.
Substantial antibody variability is created when nucleotide substitutions are introduced into immunoglobulin variable genes by a controlled process of hypermutation. Evidence points to a mechanism involving DNA repair events at sites of targeted breaks. In vertebrate cells, there are many recently identified DNA polymerases that inaccurately copy templates. Some of these are candidates for enzymes that introduce base changes during hypermutation. Recent research has focused on possible roles for DNA polymerases zeta (POLZ), eta (POLH), iota (POLI), and mu (POLM) in the process.
Gearhart
P J
PJ
Laboratory of Molecular Gerontology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, USA. gearhartp@grc.nia.nih.gov
Wood
R D
RD
D000818:Animals; D000916:Antibody Diversity; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D006801:Humans; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics; D008957:Models, Genetic; D018448:Models, Immunological; D009154:Mutation
D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase