Open AccessT-cell gamma gene is allelically but not isotypically excluded and is not required in known functional T-cell subsets.
Author(s) -
Joseph S. Heilig,
Susumu Tonegawa
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
proceedings of the national academy of sciences of the united states of america
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.011
H-Index - 771
eISSN - 1091-6490
pISSN - 0027-8424
DOI - 10.1073/pnas.84.22.8070
Subject(s) - allelic exclusion , gene , biology , genetics , open reading frame , gene rearrangement , population , t cell , microbiology and biotechnology , t cell receptor , peptide sequence , demography , immune system , sociology
The T-cell gamma genes, structurally related to immunoglobulin genes and the T-cell antigen-receptor alpha- and beta-chain genes, undergo somatic rearrangement in T-lineage cells. However, the role of the T-cell gamma genes has not yet been determined. To determine the potential for gamma gene expression in a set of well-characterized, cloned T-cell lines, we cloned all of the rearranged gamma genes from each cell line. The genes were sequenced to determine if the junction of the variable and joining regions maintained the proper translational reading frame. We then attempted to correlate the presence of an in-frame gamma gene with a T-cell subset. We were unable to establish such a correlation. We found evidence, however, that allelic exclusion influences the rearrangement of the gamma gene. This is consistent with the idea that the gamma gene product participates in establishing a clonally diverse population of T cells recognizing a polymorphic ligand. Isotypic exclusion does not apply to the gamma gene, however, suggesting different roles for the different gamma gene isotypes.