Characterization of T Cell Receptor Gamma Chain Expression in a Subset of Murine Thymocytes
While much information exists about the structure and function of the clonally distributed T cell receptor (TCR) αβ heterodimer, little is known about the γ protein, the product of a third rearranging TCR gene. An antiserum to a carboxyl-terminal peptide common to several of the murine gamma chain c...
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Published in | Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 234; no. 4782; pp. 1401 - 1405 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Washington, DC
The American Association for the Advancement of Science
12.12.1986
American Association for the Advancement of Science |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | While much information exists about the structure and function of the clonally distributed T cell receptor (TCR) αβ heterodimer, little is known about the γ protein, the product of a third rearranging TCR gene. An antiserum to a carboxyl-terminal peptide common to several of the murine gamma chain constant regions and a monoclonal antibody to the murine T3 complex were used to identify products of this TCR gene family in a subpopulation of Lyt2$^{-}$, L3T4$^{-}$ thymocytes. This subpopulation does not express TCRα or full-length TCRβ messenger RNA. The gamma chain is a 35-kilodalton (kD) protein that is disulfide-bonded to a 45-kD partner and is associated with the T3 complex. Analysis of the glycosylation pattern of this thymic gamma chain revealed that the major variable region gamma (V$\gamma $) gene transcribed in activated peripheral T cells is absent from this subpopulation. The cells that bear this second T cell receptor may therefore represent a distinct lineage differentiating within the thymus. |
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Bibliography: | ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 ObjectType-Article-2 ObjectType-Feature-1 |
ISSN: | 0036-8075 1095-9203 |
DOI: | 10.1126/science.3787252 |