Differential accessibility at the kappa chain locus plays a role in allelic exclusion.
Gene rearrangement in the immune system is always preceded by DNA demethylation and increased chromatin accessibility. Using a model system in which rearrangement of the endogenous immunoglobulin kappa locus is prevented, we demonstrate that these epigenetic and chromatin changes actually occur on one allele with a higher probability than the other. It may be this process that, together with feedback inhibition, serves as the basis for allelic exclusion.
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D019175:DNA Methylation; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I; D005246:Feedback; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011336:Probability; D015183:Restriction Mapping
D002843:Chromatin; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I