Individual B cells transcribe multiple rearranged immunoglobulin light chains in teleost fish.

ABSTRACT: B cells express a unique antibody protein which comprises two pairs of immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy (H) and light (L) chains. In addition to an invariable constant (C) region, IgH and IgL chains encompass a variable (V) region mediating antigen binding. This unique region stems from Ig V(D)J gene recombination, which generates diversity by assembling these gene segments into V_HDJ_H and V_LJ_L genes. To ensure that one B cell only expresses one antibody, V_HDJ_H rearrangement occurs only in one IgH locus (allelic exclusion), whereas V_LJ_L rearrangement only in either the κ or λ locus (isotype exclusion). However, teleosts express multiple IgLs encoded by distinct C_L genes. Using single-cell transcriptomics, we have demonstrated the transcription of distinct rearranged V_LJ_LC_L genes in single rainbow trout B cells. Our results highlight the laxity of isotype exclusion in teleosts and strongly suggest that fish B cells can produce antibodies of different specificities.

SUBMITTER: Perdiguero P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8188548 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature