Diversity and structure of genes of the α family of mouse T-cell antigen receptor

Abstract
Nineteen complementary DNA clones encoding the .alpha.-chain of the T-cell antigen receptor derived from thymic transcripts were analyzed and 15 of them contain partial or complete variable (V.alpha.) genes. Seven of these genes cross-hybridize to over 40 germline V.alpha. gene segments in Southern blot analyses. Of the 19 joining (J.alpha.) sequences examined, 18 seem to be encoded by distinct gene segments, hence the repertoire of J.alpha. gene segments is much larger than those of the Ig or T-cell receptor .beta.-chain gene families. The variable domains of Ig and T-cell antigen receptors are apparently similar in structure.