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Intraclonal generation of antibody mutants in germinal centres.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Jacob, J; Kelsoe, G; Rajewsky, K; Weiss, U
Published in: Nature
December 5, 1991

The generation and selection of somatic antibody mutants are key elements of acquired immunity, essential for the affinity maturation of antibody responses dependent on T cells. The mutants are generated through a mechanism that introduces point mutations at high rate into rearranged variable (V) region genes in the course of cell proliferation. Their appearance coincides with the generation of germinal centres, which are characterized by oligoclonal B-cell proliferation and have been suggested to be the microenvironment in which antibody mutants are generated. We report here direct evidence for this hypothesis. Rearranged V-region genes were amplified from the genomic DNA of cells picked from individual germinal centres. The sequence analysis of these genes revealed that most represent cells of distinct B-cell clones which expanded locally, generating somatic antibody mutants at high rate. By contrast, antigen-induced proliferation of B cells at another site, periarteriolar lymphocyte sheath-associated foci, was not associated with somatic hypermutation.

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Published In

Nature

DOI

ISSN

0028-0836

Publication Date

December 5, 1991

Volume

354

Issue

6352

Start / End Page

389 / 392

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Phenylacetates
  • Nitrophenols
  • Mutation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mice
  • Lymphoid Tissue
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • Genes, Immunoglobulin
  • General Science & Technology
  • Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain
 

Citation

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Jacob, J., Kelsoe, G., Rajewsky, K., & Weiss, U. (1991). Intraclonal generation of antibody mutants in germinal centres. Nature, 354(6352), 389–392. https://doi.org/10.1038/354389a0
Jacob, J., G. Kelsoe, K. Rajewsky, and U. Weiss. “Intraclonal generation of antibody mutants in germinal centres.Nature 354, no. 6352 (December 5, 1991): 389–92. https://doi.org/10.1038/354389a0.
Jacob J, Kelsoe G, Rajewsky K, Weiss U. Intraclonal generation of antibody mutants in germinal centres. Nature. 1991 Dec 5;354(6352):389–92.
Jacob, J., et al. “Intraclonal generation of antibody mutants in germinal centres.Nature, vol. 354, no. 6352, Dec. 1991, pp. 389–92. Pubmed, doi:10.1038/354389a0.
Jacob J, Kelsoe G, Rajewsky K, Weiss U. Intraclonal generation of antibody mutants in germinal centres. Nature. 1991 Dec 5;354(6352):389–392.
Journal cover image

Published In

Nature

DOI

ISSN

0028-0836

Publication Date

December 5, 1991

Volume

354

Issue

6352

Start / End Page

389 / 392

Location

England

Related Subject Headings

  • Phenylacetates
  • Nitrophenols
  • Mutation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mice
  • Lymphoid Tissue
  • Immunoglobulin Variable Region
  • Genes, Immunoglobulin
  • General Science & Technology
  • Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte, Heavy Chain