Somatic Changes in the Content and Context of Immunoglobulin Genes
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Excerpt
In this paper, we will demonstrate that both the content and the context of immunoglobulin genes change during the differentiation of lymphocytes. By content, we mean the genetic information used for coding immunoglobulin chains. By context, we mean the relative location of this information in DNA. The possibility of such changes has been the subject of much speculation in immunology, but only recently has it become possible to attack the problem directly. The principal technological advance which makes this possible has been the development of procedures for the purification of immunoglobulin mRNA from murine plasmacytomas (Tonegawa and Baldi 1973; Mach et al. 1973; Brownlee et al. 1973; Schechter 1973; Honjo et al. 1974; Stavnezer et al. 1974).
Joining of Kappa-chain Genes during Ontogeny
Let us begin with changes in context. To study this, we need a way to determine the arrangement of immunoglobulin genes in DNA. Bacterial restriction endonucleases recognize...