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Avian B-Cell Development: Generation of an Immunoglobulin Repertoire by Gene Conversion

Avian B-Cell Development: Generation of an Immunoglobulin Repertoire by Gene Conversion The vertebrate B-cell repertoire is capable of generating up to 109 different antibody molecules using relatively few germline immunoglobulin (Ig) gene segments. To generate diversity, humans and mice depend on com­ binatorial and junctional variations that occur during the gene rearrange­ ment events that produce complete heavy and light chain Ig genes. This gene rearrangement process goes on continuously in the bone marrow, where each developing B cell assembles a unique heavy and light chain Ig gene from families of functional V, D, and J gene segments. In contrast, chickens have only single functional V and J segments for the heavy and light chain loci, and chicken Ig gene rearrangement occurs only during a brief period of embryonic development. A specialized organ involved in avian B-cell development, the bursa of Fabricius, provides the micro­ environment necessary for the amplification of B cells that have undergone productive Ig gene rearrangements. Within the bursa, B cells also acquire somatic diversity within the rearranged V gene segments of the heavy and light chain Ig loci. Somatic diversification of chicken V gene segments occurs by intrachromosomal gene conversion, a DNA recombination pro­ cess which involves unidirectional transfer of nucleotide sequence blocks 219 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Annual Review of Immunology Annual Reviews

Avian B-Cell Development: Generation of an Immunoglobulin Repertoire by Gene Conversion

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References (51)

Publisher
Annual Reviews
Copyright
Copyright 1991 Annual Reviews. All rights reserved
Subject
Review Articles
ISSN
0732-0582
eISSN
1545-3278
DOI
10.1146/annurev.iy.09.040191.001251
pmid
1910677
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The vertebrate B-cell repertoire is capable of generating up to 109 different antibody molecules using relatively few germline immunoglobulin (Ig) gene segments. To generate diversity, humans and mice depend on com­ binatorial and junctional variations that occur during the gene rearrange­ ment events that produce complete heavy and light chain Ig genes. This gene rearrangement process goes on continuously in the bone marrow, where each developing B cell assembles a unique heavy and light chain Ig gene from families of functional V, D, and J gene segments. In contrast, chickens have only single functional V and J segments for the heavy and light chain loci, and chicken Ig gene rearrangement occurs only during a brief period of embryonic development. A specialized organ involved in avian B-cell development, the bursa of Fabricius, provides the micro­ environment necessary for the amplification of B cells that have undergone productive Ig gene rearrangements. Within the bursa, B cells also acquire somatic diversity within the rearranged V gene segments of the heavy and light chain Ig loci. Somatic diversification of chicken V gene segments occurs by intrachromosomal gene conversion, a DNA recombination pro­ cess which involves unidirectional transfer of nucleotide sequence blocks 219

Journal

Annual Review of ImmunologyAnnual Reviews

Published: Apr 1, 1991

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