V–J joining of immunoglobulin κ genes only occurs on one homologous chromosome

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Abstract
In general, heterozygous animal cells express both alleles at a particular locus. The only exceptions are cells of XX genotype after inactivation of one X chromosome1, and immunoglobulin-producing cells; in each case only one of the two alleles is expressed in differentiated cells and their progeny2. This phenomenon, termed allelic exclusion, has been described for several mammalian species including man and mouse. It has been shown that the variable (V) and constant (C) region genes of immunoglobulins undergo a rearrangement during ontogeny3,4. We wished to test whether allelic exclusion in B cells could be the consequence of V- and C-region rearrangement on one of the two homologous chromosomes only. For that reason we chose to analyse the rearrangement of immunoglobulin light chain genes in normal B lymphocytes isolated on the fluorescence-activated cell sorter. We now present evidence that during normal B-lymphocyte differentiation V–C rearrangement occurs only on one chromosome.