Targeting of non-Ig sequences in place of the V segment by somatic hypermutation

J Yélamos1, N Klix, B Goyenechea

  • 1Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.

Nature
|July 20, 1995
PubMed

Affinity maturation of antibodies is characterized by localized hypermutation of the DNA around the V segment. Here we show, using mice containing single or multiple transgene constructs, that an immunoglobulin V kappa segment can be replaced by human beta-globin or prokaryotic neo or gpt genes without affecting the rate of hypermutation; the V gene itself is not necessary for recruiting hypermutation. The ability to target hypermutation to heterologous genes in vivo could find more general applications in biology.