Open AccessOrganization of kappa light chain genes in germ-line and somatic tissue.
Author(s) -
Rolf H. Joho,
Irving L. Weissman,
P. Early,
Jim Cole,
Leroy Hood
Publication year - 1980
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.77.2.1106
Subject(s) - biology , gene , somatic cell , germline , embryo , sperm , genetics , genome , microbiology and biotechnology , immunoglobulin light chain , kappa , ploidy , antibody , linguistics , philosophy
We studied the organization of the kappa light chain genes in germ-line (sperm) and somatic (embryo) tissues. We constructed a plasmid containing a DNA insert coding for the kappa chain MOPC 167 and used the Southern blotting technique to determine the organization of kappa variable and constant region genes. In the haploid genome of the mouse there is only one constant region gene detectable and it has the same organization in sperm and embryo DNAs. There are several variable region genes in sperm and embryo that are related to the Vk167 gene. The organization of the V genes in sperm and embryo DNAs is identical. These results show that there is no rearrangement of variable region genes (or "minigenes") during early embryogenesis.