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Science 7 May 1971:
Vol. 172. no. 3983, pp. 574 - 577
DOI: 10.1126/science.172.3983.574
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Articles

Deletions in Immunoglobulin Polypeptide Chains as Evidence for Breakage and Repair in DNA

O. Smithies 1, D. M. Gibson 1, E. M. Fanning 1, M. E. Percy 2, D. M. Parr 2, and G. E. Connell 2

1 Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706
2 Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

The partial sequence of the light chain of the myeloma-like immunoglobulin Sac shows a large deletion in its variable region. The sequence provides evidence that the corresponding gene was formed by the repair of DNA broken at nonhomologous positions. Data from other immunoglobulin (heavy) chains containing large deletions are compatible with their genes also being the result of DNA breakage and nonhomologous repair. Single homologous reciprocal exchanges in DNA networks at immunoglobulin loci could be the cause of the nonhomologous breaks. The relevance of these events to the generation of normal antibody variability remains to be determined.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Immunoglobulin Genes: Arranged in Tandem or in Parallel?.
O. Smithies (1974)
Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol 38, 725-737
   Abstract »    PDF »
Mouse Immunoglobulin Kappa Chain MPC 11: Extra Amino-Terminal Residues.
G. P. Smith (1973)
Science 181, 941-943
   Abstract »    PDF »
Molecular Defect in a Gamma-2 (ggr2) Heavy Chain.
S. M. Cooper, E. C. Franklin, and B. Frangione (1972)
Science 176, 187-189
   Abstract »    PDF »
Initiation of Protein Synthesis at an Unusual Position in an Immunoglobulin Gene?.
O. Smithies and M. D. Poulik (1972)
Science 175, 187-189
   Abstract »    PDF »
Variation and Homology in the Mu and Gamma Heavy Chains of Human Immunoglobulins.
A. Shimizu, C. Paul, H. Kohler, T. Shinoda, and F. W. Putnam (1971)
Science 173, 629-633
   Abstract »    PDF »


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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)