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The T cell receptor (TRA) locus in the rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ): Genomic features and consequences for invariant T cells
Author(s) -
Mondot Stanislas,
Lantz Olivier,
Lefranc MariePaule,
Boudinot Pierre
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
european journal of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.272
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1521-4141
pISSN - 0014-2980
DOI - 10.1002/eji.201948228
Subject(s) - biology , repertoire , antibody , locus (genetics) , gene , t cell receptor , receptor , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , immunology , t cell , immune system , physics , acoustics
Abstract The rabbit has been widely used in immunology and infectiology. Rabbit immunoglobulins have been extensively studied, leading to the discovery of their idiotypes, allotypic diversity, and of the diversification of the primary repertoire by hyperconversion. Much less is known about rabbit T cell receptors (TR), especially TRA. This isotype is particularly important for innate‐like T cells, which typically express invariant TRA (iTRA). The presence of such cells in the rabbit remains an enigma. Rabbit NKT cells seem to be very rare, and lagomorphs lack MAIT cells. TRAV1, the variable gene expressed in the iTRA of these cells across most mammals, and MR1, the MH1‐like receptor that present riboflavin derivatives to MAIT cells, are missing in rabbit. An alternative iTRA has been identified, that may be expressed by new innate‐like T cells. To facilitate TRA repertoire analyses in rabbit, we report here a full description of TRA and TRD loci and a subgroup definition based on IMGT® classification. Rabbit TRA rearrangements follow the same temporal pattern that is observed in mouse and human. Rare transcripts expressing TRDV/TRDD/TRDJ rearrangements spliced to TRAC were detected. TRA and TRD genes have been made available in IMGT and IMGT/HighV‐QUEST, allowing easy analysis of TRA/TRD RepSeq.