Characterization of an avian (Gallus gallus domesticus) TCR alpha delta gene locus

• Published in: The Journal of immunology (1950) Vol. 163; no. 7; pp. 3858 - 3866
• Main Authors: Kubota, T, Wang, J, Göbel, T W, Hockett, R D, Cooper, M D, Chen, C H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-10-1999
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Base Sequence; Cattle; Chickens; Embryo, Nonmammalian - metabolism; Gallus gallus domesticus; Gene Deletion; Gene Expression Regulation - immunology; Gene Rearrangement, alpha-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; Gene Rearrangement, delta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor; Genes, T-Cell Receptor alpha; Genes, T-Cell Receptor delta; Humans; Mice; Molecular Sequence Data; Rabbits; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - chemistry; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta - genetics; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - biosynthesis; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - chemistry; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - genetics; Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta - isolation & purification; T-Lymphocyte Subsets - metabolism; Transcription, Genetic - immunology
• ISSN: 0022-1767

Mammalian TCR delta genes are located in the midst of the TCR alpha gene locus. In the chicken, one large V delta gene family, two D delta gene segments, two J delta gene segments, and one C delta gene have been identified. The TCR delta genes were deleted on both alleles in alpha beta T cell lines, thereby indicating conservation of the combined TCR alpha delta locus in birds. V alpha and V delta gene segments were found to rearrange with one, both or neither of the D delta segments and either of the two J delta segments. Exonuclease activity, P-addition, and N-addition during VDJ delta rearrangement contributed to TCR delta repertoire diversification in the first embryonic wave of T cells. An unbiased V delta 1 repertoire was observed at all ages, but an acquired J delta 1 usage bias occurred in the TCR delta repertoire. The unrestricted combinatorial diversity of relatively complex TCR gamma and delta loci may contribute to the remarkable abundance of gamma delta T cells in this avian representative.