Variable Domains Provide:
Antigen binding
- varying binding site changes antigen binding profile
Constant Domains Provide:
Ab secretion
IgA alpha C-Domain
Parasite Attack
IgE epsilon C-Domain
Placental X-ing
IgG gamma C-Domain
BCRs and TCRs
Germ Line Theory
ONE GENE = ONE PROTEIN
10^6 distinct BCR/antibodies
– 3,000 nucleotides in an individual Ab coding sequence
BCR A.A Sequencing
Transposons ‘jumping’ genes
DNA Recombination
Potential mechanism for generation antibody diversity
Somatic Cell Recombination
1965; Dreyer and Bennett
1. Heavy chains and light chains on separate genes
2. V- and C- regions DNA`= recombined in B-Cells; V-C gene
Susumu Tonegawa
DNA Migration: Germline
Constant and Variable on different restriction fragments
DNA Migration: Plasma Cells
Constant and Variable on the same restriction fragments
Immature B-Cell
Activated B-Cell
Variable Domains
Coded by V-, J-, and D- segments
Human VkJkCk Genes
Human VIJICI Genes
Human V-D-J-C Genes
Recombination Signal Sequences
Conserved DNA sequence motifs that enzymes use to target sites of DNA recombination
RSS Conserved
RSS Less Conserved
23 bp/ 12 bp spacer sequences