V gene replacement in T and B lymphocytes: illicit or regimented rearrangement?
Lymphocytes can undergo novel types of secondary genetic rearrangements that alter the specificity of a pre-existing B cell receptor (BCR) or T cell receptor (TCR). V gene replacement is one of them and it replaces an already rearranged V gene segment with an upstream germline V gene segment. This review focuses on the molecular aspect of rearrangement. The role of this mechanism in the immune system is debated.
Golub
Rachel
R
Unité du Développement des Lymphocytes, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France. rgolub@pasteur.fr
D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D015321:Gene Rearrangement / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D045567:VDJ Recombinases
D004254:DNA Nucleotidyltransferases; D045567:VDJ Recombinases