Jeannine A Ott, Christian Mitchell, Morgan Sheppard, Thad C Deiss, J M Cody Horton, Jeremy K Haakenson, Ruiqi Huang, Abigail R Kelley, Brian W Davis, James N Derr, Vaughn V Smider, Michael F Criscitiello
The genomes of most vertebrates contain many V, D, and J gene segments within their Ig loci to construct highly variable CDR3 sequences through combinatorial diversity. This nucleotide variability translates into an antibody population containing extensive paratope diversity. Cattle have relatively few functional VDJ gene segments, requiring innovative approaches for generating diversity like the use of ultralong-encoding IGHV and IGHD gene segments that yield dramatically elongated CDR H3. Unique knob and stalk microdomains create protracted paratopes, where the antigen-binding knob sits atop a long stalk, allowing the antibody to bind both surface and recessed antigen epitopes...
April 21, 2023: Immunogenetics