Recombination, transcription, and diversity of a partially germline-joined VH in a mammal.
Full or partially germline-joined V genes have been described in a number of different vertebrate lineages where they can contribute to the expressed antibody repertoire through different mechanisms. Here we demonstrate that VH3.1, a partially germline-joined VH gene in the opossum Monodelphis domestica, can undergo V(D)J recombination to generate productive IgH transcripts. VH3.1 is fused to a DH gene segment in the germline DNA and is the only known example of a germline-joined VH in a mammal. B cells that have recombined VH3.1 were not detected until nearly 2 months of age, around the time of weaning, and much later than B cells using the conventional VH. Compared to opossum IgH transcripts using the conventional VH genes, those with VH3.1 have unusually long CDR3 due to the length of the germline-joined DH.
Center for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
Xinxin
X
Wang
Robert D
RD
Miller
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000916:Antibody Diversity / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015326:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain / Q000235:genetics; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D048309:Monodelphis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013154:Spleen / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D060152:V(D)J Recombination / Q000235:genetics
D022801:Complementarity Determining Regions; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region