HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Eden, A. Articles by Nussenzweig, V. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Eden, A. Articles by Nussenzweig, V.

Complementarity of H and L Chains from Antihapten Antibodies of Different Classes¹

From the Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016

Abstract

Recombination experiments were performed with H and L chains of guinea pig anti-DNP ₁ and ₂ immunoglobulins. The immunoglobulins were mildly reduced and alkylated and then exposed to guanidine HCl in order to dissociate their polypeptide chains. Recombination was allowed to occur as the guanidine was subsequently dialyzed away. Recombination of H chains with one another was found to be class-specific. On the other hand, the recombination of L chains with H chains was close to random (i.e., independent of class of origin), especially with antibodies obtained from individual animals. The results are consistent with the idea that during the immune response, clones of antibody-forming cells switch classes (C_H genes) while retaining the specificity of the combining site (V genes).

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by Grants (AI-09738 and AI-08499) from the National Institutes of Health, United States Public Health Service.

² M. E. L. and V. N. are Career Scientists of the Health Research Council of the City of New York under Contracts I-474 and I-558.