A rabbit Ig λ L chain C region gene encoding C21 allotopes

R. M. Duvoisin, D. J. Hayzer, D. Belin, J. C. Jaton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Southern blot analyses of germ-line DNA obtained from rabbits expressing λ chains of C7 and/or C21 allotypes were performed with a rabbit Cλ region-specific probe; a 12-kbp EcoRI- and a 2-kbp BamHI-hybridizing fragment were detected only in the DNA from rabbits expressing the C21 allotype. The 12-kbp EcoRI fragment was cloned and shown to contain two Cλ region-encoding genes in the same orientation. Each is preceded by a Jλ gene segment. Nonamer-12-bp spacer-heptamer recombination signal sequences were found 5' of each Jλ segment, and splicing signals were identified at the 3' ends of the Jλ segments and the 5' ends of the corresponding Cλ genes. The Cλ5 gene, which exhibits a sequence identical with that found in several cDNA clones, is carried by the 2-kbp BamHI fragment missing from the genomic DNA of rabbits which do not express the C21 allotype. The second Cλ gene, Cλ6, lies 3' of Cλ5, in a 1.6-kbp BamHI fragment which is present in genomic DNAs of all tested rabbits, irrespective of their phenotype. Its sequence is identical with that found in one cDNA clone and differs from that of Cλ5 in 17 base positions resulting in four amino acid substitutions. A fragment of a cDNA, with a J-C region sequence identical with that encoded by the Jλ5-Cλ5 gene pair, was subcloned into a plasmid expression vector. The resulting polypeptide product could be specifically immunoprecipitated by anti-C21 but not anti-C7 alloantisera, showing that some, if not all, C21 allotopes are encoded by the Cλ5 gene. In contrast, the Cλ6 gene product was not precipitable, either by anti-C7 or by anti-C21 alloantisera, although it was readily immunoprecipitated by a goat anti-rabbit λ chain antiserum.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1596-1601
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Immunology
Volume141
Issue number5
StatePublished - 1988
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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