Violation of the 12/23 rule of genomic V(D)J recombination is common in lymphocytes.

ABSTRACT: V(D)J genomic recombination joins single gene segments to encode an extensive repertoire of antigen receptor specificities in T and B lymphocytes. This process initiates with double-stranded breaks adjacent to conserved recombination signal sequences that contain either 12- or 23-nucleotide spacer regions. Only recombination between signal sequences with unequal spacers results in productive coding genes, a phenomenon known as the "12/23 rule." Here we present two novel genomic tools that allow the capture and analysis of immune locus rearrangements from whole thymic and splenic tissues using second-generation sequencing. Further, we provide strong evidence that the 12/23 rule of genomic recombination is frequently violated under physiological conditions, resulting in unanticipated hybrid

SUBMITTER: Parkinson NJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4315296 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature