Journal of Experimental Medicine, Vol 158, 1385-1400, Copyright © 1983 by Rockefeller University Press
Galactan-binding antibodies. Diversity and structure of idiotypes
S Rudikoff, M Pawlita, J Pumphrey, E Mushinski and M Potter
A group of eight IgM hybridoma proteins induced with beta(1,6)-D-
galactan-containing antigens has been characterized in terms of primary
amino acid sequence and idiotype expression. The H chain amino acid
sequences reveal very strong homology in the VH segment although several
substitutions are seen that suggest the occurrence of somatic mutation in
these IgM molecules. Significant sequence variation was observed in CDR-3,
the region generated by the D segment, and the two recombination events,
VH-D and D-JH. The number of amino acids in this region contributed by the
D segment was found to vary from two to six, yet the overall length of
CDR-3 was precisely maintained by the addition of amino acids on either
side of D during the recombination processes. These additional amino acids
are suggested to result from nucleotide addition by repair enzymes.
Idiotypic analysis of these proteins, in conjunction with an assessment of
the H chain sequences, has permitted an identification of the molecular
basis of both cross- reacting and unique idiotypic determinants expressed
by these molecules.