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V(D)J recombination: on the cutting edge.

M A Oettinger¹

¹Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 50 Blossom Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.

Current Opinion in Cell Biology

|July 8, 1999

Summary

Vertebrates generate diverse antigen receptors from limited DNA. Site-specific DNA rearrangement during lymphoid development is key to this immune system diversity.

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Area of Science:

Immunology
Molecular Biology
Genetics

Background:

The vertebrate immune system requires immense diversity in antigen receptor binding specificity.
This diversity is generated from a surprisingly limited genetic information pool.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the mechanisms of antigen receptor gene assembly.
To understand the role of site-specific DNA rearrangement in generating immune diversity.

Main Methods:

Analysis of DNA rearrangement processes.
Studies on gene assembly during lymphoid development.
Investigating the genetic basis of immune receptor diversity.

Main Results:

Site-specific DNA rearrangement is a crucial process for assembling antigen receptor genes.
This mechanism allows for the generation of a vast repertoire of antigen specificities.

Conclusions:

Recent advances significantly enhance our understanding of immune receptor gene assembly.
The elegant DNA rearrangement mechanism is fundamental to vertebrate adaptive immunity.

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