Localization of a T-cell receptor diversity-region element (original) (raw)

Nature volume 310, pages 421–423 (1984)Cite this article

Abstract

Recently, complementary DNA clones encoding one chain of the T-cell receptor for antigen have been isolated from both murine and human cell lines1–3. Sequence analysis of these clones indicates that they encode elements analogous to the variable (V), constant (C) and joining (J) regions of immunoglobulins2,3 and that this corresponds to the _β_-chain subunit of the T-cell receptor complex4. These genes are rearranged in the genomes of specific T-cell lines and hybrids but not in other cell types1. Analysis of the components of one such rearranged gene, 2B4, isolated from the pigeon cytochrome _c_-specific, H–2E-restricted T helper (TH) hybridoma5, and its unrearranged (liver) counterpart, indicate that an 8-nucleotide sequence 3′ to the rearranged variable region is not derived from either the germ-line _V_- or _J_-region gene segments6. As this sequence lies at a similar position to the diversity (D) region in immunoglobulin heavy-chain genes7, we postulated the existence of an array of germ-line _D_-region elements that would contribute significantly to the number of different _β_-chain molecules which could be created. Here we describe the localization and sequence of one such _D_-region element, found ∼650 nucleotides 5′ to the first _J_T cluster8. This element seems to be involved in both functional (V–D–J) and non-functional (D–J) rearrangements. Our observations, combined with previous results6,8,9, indicate that variable-region formation (V–D–J joining) in the T-cell receptor _β_-chain gene follows the 12/23-base pair (bp) rule of rearrangement established for the recombination of immunoglobulin gene segments7,10, but that the organization of the heptamer and non-amer element found surrounding the D region is significantly different.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hedrick, S. M., Cohen, D. I., Nielsen, E. A. & Davis, M. M. Nature 308, 149–153 (1984).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  2. Hedrick, S. M., Nielson, E. A. Kavaler, J., Cohen, D. I. & Davis, M. M. Nature 308, 153–158 (1984).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  3. Yanagi, Y. et al. Nature 308, 145–149 (1984).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  4. Acuto, O. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81, 3851–3855 (1984).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  5. Samelson, L. E., Germain, R. N. & Schwartz, R. H. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 6972–6976 (1983).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  6. Chien, Y., Gascoigne, N. R. J., Kavaler, J., Lee, N. E. & Davis, M. M. Nature 309, 322–326 (1984).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  7. Early, P., Huang, H., Davis, M., Calame, K. & Hood, L. Cell 19, 981–992 (1980).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  8. Gascoigne, N. R. J., Chien, Y., Becker, D. M., Kavaler, J. & Davis, M. M. Nature 310, 387–391 (1984).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  9. Siu, G. et al. Cell 37, 393–401 (1984).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  10. Tonegawa, S. Nature 302, 575–581 (1983).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  11. Sakano, H., Kurosawa, Y., Weigert, M. & Tonegawa, S. Nature 290, 562–565 (1981).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  12. Mount, S. M. Nucleic Acids Res. 10, 459–472 (1982).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  13. Davis, M. M., Chien, Y., Gascoigne, N. R. J. & Hedrick, S. M. Immun. Rev. (in the press).
  14. Kurosawa, Y. et al. Nature 290, 565–570 (1981).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  15. Alt, F. & Baltimore, D. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 79, 4118–4122 (1982).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  16. Acuto, O. et al. Cell 34, 717–726 (1983).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  17. Scollay, R., Butcher, E. & Weissman, I. Eur. J. Immun. 10, 210–217 (1980).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  18. Maxam, A. & Gilbert, W. Meth. Enzym. 65, 499–560 (1980).
    Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Microbiology, Stanford University Medical School, Stanford, California, 94305, USA
    Joshua Kavaler, Mark M. Davis & Yueh-hsiu Chien

Authors

  1. Joshua Kavaler
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Mark M. Davis
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  3. Yueh-hsiu Chien
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kavaler, J., Davis, M. & Chien, Yh. Localization of a T-cell receptor diversity-region element.Nature 310, 421–423 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1038/310421a0

Download citation