Expression of Immunoglobulin Lambda Genes in Wild Mice
{'Code': '08070600', 'Directorate': {'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'LongName': 'Div Of Molecular and Cellular Bioscience'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Maryanna P. Henkart'}
The immunoglobulin lambda light chain locus in inbred mice                      contains a limited number of germline genes.  However, recent                   studies of lambda genes in populations of wild mice have revealed               that these mice may have an amplified number of lambda genes, as                judged by cross-hybridization of DNA restriction fragments with                 lambda probes derived from inbred strains.  It is not known,                    however, whether these putative lambda genes are functional.  To                obtain further insight into the evolution of the lambda locus,                  the organization and expression of these genes in wild-derived                  mice is being examined.  The approach is to prepare lambda-                     producing hybridomas which are a source of rearranged lambda                    genes and their expressed products.  Several hybridomas have been               identified that appear to produce lambda chains that differ                     substantially from those in BALB/c.  The variable region of one                 of these chains, from a mouse from Skive Denmark (SD), differs so               greatly in sequence from any known V-lambda that cross-                         hybridization of the corresponding genes would not be expected.                 Such a gene would have escaped detection in earlier studies.  To                pursue these findings, a cDNA library has been prepared from the                SD hybridoma.  The sequence of clones encoding the unusual lambda               chain has been determined.  The V region of the SD lambda chain                 is only about 40% identical in amino acid sequence to the lambda                1 V region.  Next, unrearranged lambda genes will be                            characterized in a DNA library that will be prepared from SD                    kidney.  The results should indicate the extent of somatic                      mutation in the gene encoding the SD26 V segment.  Hybridization                probes corresponding to V lambda SD26 will be used to evaluate                  the possible presence and expression of related genes in other                  wild mice and in laboratory strains of inbred mice.  The                        expression of other, previously unrecognized lambda genes will be               sought by examining additional lambda-producing wild mouse                      hybridomas.                                                                                                                                                     Although inbred mouse strains are regularly used in studies of                  the regulation and function of the immune response, relatively                  few studies have compared the organization and function of the                  immune system in inbred mouse strains and wild mice.                            The mechanisms by which a great diversity of antibodies is                      generated to recognize a wide array of possible foreign molecules               is fundamental to our understanding of immune function.  Previous               results from this laboratory have revealed interesting and                      provocative differences between the genes encoding antibody light               chains in wild mice and those in inbred strains.  Further                       results of this research should shed new light on the                           organization and evolution of immunoglobulin genes.
{'FirstName': 'Lisa', 'LastName': 'Steiner', 'EmailAddress': 'lsteiner@mit.edu', 'StartDate': '02/01/1990', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'Massachusetts Institute of Technology', 'CityName': 'Cambridge', 'ZipCode': '021394301', 'PhoneNumber': '6172531000', 'StreetAddress': '77 MASSACHUSETTS AVE', 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Massachusetts', 'StateCode': 'MA'}
{'Code': '1114', 'Text': 'Cellular Dynamics and Function'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1988&All=true', 'xml': '8818848.xml'}