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Somatic mutation and clonal expansion of B cells in an antigen‐driven immune response.
Author(s) -
Sablitzky F.,
Wildner G.,
Rajewsky K.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1985.tb03635.x
Subject(s) - biology , clone (java method) , somatic cell , microbiology and biotechnology , antibody , point mutation , complementarity determining region , mutation , monoclonal antibody , gene , genetics , antigen , immune system , germline mutation
The variable (V) regions of three closely related monoclonal antibodies produced by hybridomas which had been isolated from a single mouse were sequenced at the level of the mRNA. The sequences and the restriction analysis of the immunoglobulin loci carried by the hybridoma cells indicate that the antibodies are derived from cells belonging to a single B cell clone. The sequence data imply a high frequency and stepwise occurrence of somatic point mutations in the expressed V region genes and substantial clonal expansion of B cells in the mouse. The mutations appear to be randomly introduced into heavy and light chain V region genes. Mutations are also seen in the complementarity determining regions which may thus have been involved in the selection of the cells producing the three antibodies.