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Complexity and sequence identification of 24 rat V beta genes.
L R Smith1, D H Kono, A N Theofilopoulos
1Department of Immunology, Research Institute of Scripps Clinic, Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation, La Jolla, CA 92037.
Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
|July 1, 1991
Summary
Researchers identified 24 T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta genes in rats, revealing similarities to mouse genes. This discovery aids in understanding T-cell tolerance and immune diseases in rat models.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- T-cell receptors (TCRs) are crucial for adaptive immunity.
- Understanding TCR gene families is essential for studying immune responses.
- Rat models are widely used in immunological research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To clone and characterize T-cell receptor (TCR) V beta genes from the Lewis rat strain.
- To compare rat TCR V beta genes with their known mouse counterparts.
- To establish a foundation for studying T-cell tolerance and immune-mediated diseases in rats.
Main Methods:
- Anchored Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) was used for gene cloning.
- Nucleotide and amino acid sequence comparisons were performed.
- Sequence analysis was conducted against known mouse V beta gene databases.
Main Results:
- Twenty-four TCR V beta genes were successfully cloned and identified from Lewis rats.
- Rat V beta genes form 17 single-member and 3 multimember subfamilies.
- Rat V beta genes show high sequence similarity (86-94% nucleotide, 72-92% amino acid) to mouse V beta genes.
- A novel rat V beta gene (V beta 20) was identified, with a related gene found in mice.
Conclusions:
- The characterized rat V beta genes provide a valuable resource for immunological studies.
- This work facilitates research into T-cell tolerance mechanisms in rats.
- The findings support the use of rat models for investigating V beta gene usage in immune-mediated diseases.