Skip to main content
NCBI home page
The Journal of Experimental Medicine logoLink to The Journal of Experimental Medicine
. 1989 Jan 1;169(1):41–57. doi: 10.1084/jem.169.1.41

Diversity and organization of human T cell receptor delta variable gene segments

PMCID: PMC2189176  PMID: 2521243

Abstract

Previous studies of the human TCR-delta gene identified a single commonly used V delta segment, denoted V delta 1. To better understand the extent of the human TCR-delta V gene repertoire, TCR-delta transcripts and gene rearrangements were examined in a new panel of cloned human TCR-gamma/delta lymphocytes. Through this analysis we identified and determined the structures of two new V delta segments, denoted V delta 2 and V delta 3. These V delta segments are different from previously characterized V alpha segments, supporting the notion that the human V delta and V alpha repertoires are distinct. Examination of V gamma gene segment usage in these cells reveals that the V delta 2 gene segment is used in conjunction with the V gamma 2 gene segment. Blot hybridization indicates that the V delta 2 gene segment lies between V delta 1 and D delta-J delta-C delta, and within 100 kb of the latter. Analysis of genomic clones indicates that the V delta 3 gene segment lies in an inverted orientation, approximately 2 kb 3' of C delta. This implies that rearrangement of V delta 3 to D delta-J delta-C delta occurs by inversion. Together with previous mapping studies, these results indicate that human V delta segments are dispersed, rather than clustered, within the TCR-alpha/delta locus. The analysis of rearrangements in polyclonal thymocyte DNA suggests that there may be a limited number of additional V delta gene segments yet to be characterized.

Full Text

The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (1.5 MB).

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Alarcon B., De Vries J., Pettey C., Boylston A., Yssel H., Terhorst C., Spits H. The T-cell receptor gamma chain-CD3 complex: implication in the cytotoxic activity of a CD3+ CD4- CD8- human natural killer clone. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Jun;84(11):3861–3865. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.11.3861. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Alt F. W., Blackwell T. K., Yancopoulos G. D. Development of the primary antibody repertoire. Science. 1987 Nov 20;238(4830):1079–1087. doi: 10.1126/science.3317825. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Auffray C., Rougeon F. Purification of mouse immunoglobulin heavy-chain messenger RNAs from total myeloma tumor RNA. Eur J Biochem. 1980 Jun;107(2):303–314. doi: 10.1111/j.1432-1033.1980.tb06030.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bank I., DePinho R. A., Brenner M. B., Cassimeris J., Alt F. W., Chess L. A functional T3 molecule associated with a novel heterodimer on the surface of immature human thymocytes. Nature. 1986 Jul 10;322(6075):179–181. doi: 10.1038/322179a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Biggin M. D., Gibson T. J., Hong G. F. Buffer gradient gels and 35S label as an aid to rapid DNA sequence determination. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1983 Jul;80(13):3963–3965. doi: 10.1073/pnas.80.13.3963. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Boehm T., Baer R., Lavenir I., Forster A., Waters J. J., Nacheva E., Rabbitts T. H. The mechanism of chromosomal translocation t(11;14) involving the T-cell receptor C delta locus on human chromosome 14q11 and a transcribed region of chromosome 11p15. EMBO J. 1988 Feb;7(2):385–394. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb02825.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Boehm T., Buluwela L., Williams D., White L., Rabbitts T. H. A cluster of chromosome 11p13 translocations found via distinct D-D and D-D-J rearrangements of the human T cell receptor delta chain gene. EMBO J. 1988 Jul;7(7):2011–2017. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb03040.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Brenner M. B., McLean J., Dialynas D. P., Strominger J. L., Smith J. A., Owen F. L., Seidman J. G., Ip S., Rosen F., Krangel M. S. Identification of a putative second T-cell receptor. Nature. 1986 Jul 10;322(6075):145–149. doi: 10.1038/322145a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Brenner M. B., Strominger J. L., Krangel M. S. The gamma delta T cell receptor. Adv Immunol. 1988;43:133–192. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Chen E. Y., Seeburg P. H. Supercoil sequencing: a fast and simple method for sequencing plasmid DNA. DNA. 1985 Apr;4(2):165–170. doi: 10.1089/dna.1985.4.165. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Chien Y. H., Iwashima M., Wettstein D. A., Kaplan K. B., Elliott J. F., Born W., Davis M. M. T-cell receptor delta gene rearrangements in early thymocytes. Nature. 1987 Dec 24;330(6150):722–727. doi: 10.1038/330722a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Elliott J. F., Rock E. P., Patten P. A., Davis M. M., Chien Y. H. The adult T-cell receptor delta-chain is diverse and distinct from that of fetal thymocytes. Nature. 1988 Feb 18;331(6157):627–631. doi: 10.1038/331627a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Feinberg A. P., Vogelstein B. A technique for radiolabeling DNA restriction endonuclease fragments to high specific activity. Anal Biochem. 1983 Jul 1;132(1):6–13. doi: 10.1016/0003-2697(83)90418-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Forster A., Huck S., Ghanem N., Lefranc M. P., Rabbitts T. H. New subgroups in the human T cell rearranging V gamma gene locus. EMBO J. 1987 Jul;6(7):1945–1950. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02456.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Goodman T., Lefrançois L. Expression of the gamma-delta T-cell receptor on intestinal CD8+ intraepithelial lymphocytes. Nature. 1988 Jun 30;333(6176):855–858. doi: 10.1038/333855a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Griesser H., Champagne E., Tkachuk D., Takihara Y., Lalande M., Baillie E., Minden M., Mak T. W. The human T cell receptor alpha-delta locus: a physical map of the variable, joining and constant region genes. Eur J Immunol. 1988 Apr;18(4):641–644. doi: 10.1002/eji.1830180424. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Hata S., Satyanarayana K., Devlin P., Band H., McLean J., Strominger J. L., Brenner M. B., Krangel M. S. Extensive junctional diversity of rearranged human T cell receptor delta genes. Science. 1988 Jun 10;240(4858):1541–1544. doi: 10.1126/science.3259726. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Henikoff S. Unidirectional digestion with exonuclease III creates targeted breakpoints for DNA sequencing. Gene. 1984 Jun;28(3):351–359. doi: 10.1016/0378-1119(84)90153-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Hochstenbach F., Parker C., McLean J., Gieselmann V., Band H., Bank I., Chess L., Spits H., Strominger J. L., Seidman J. G. Characterization of a third form of the human T cell receptor gamma/delta. J Exp Med. 1988 Aug 1;168(2):761–776. doi: 10.1084/jem.168.2.761. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Huck S., Dariavach P., Lefranc M. P. Variable region genes in the human T-cell rearranging gamma (TRG) locus: V-J junction and homology with the mouse genes. EMBO J. 1988 Mar;7(3):719–726. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb02868.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Huck S., Lefranc M. P. Rearrangements to the JP1, JP and JP2 segments in the human T-cell rearranging gamma gene (TRG gamma) locus. FEBS Lett. 1987 Nov 30;224(2):291–296. doi: 10.1016/0014-5793(87)80472-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Isobe M., Russo G., Haluska F. G., Croce C. M. Cloning of the gene encoding the delta subunit of the human T-cell receptor reveals its physical organization within the alpha-subunit locus and its involvement in chromosome translocations in T-cell malignancy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Jun;85(11):3933–3937. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.11.3933. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Klein M. H., Concannon P., Everett M., Kim L. D., Hunkapiller T., Hood L. Diversity and structure of human T-cell receptor alpha-chain variable region genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Oct;84(19):6884–6888. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.19.6884. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Koning F., Stingl G., Yokoyama W. M., Yamada H., Maloy W. L., Tschachler E., Shevach E. M., Coligan J. E. Identification of a T3-associated gamma delta T cell receptor on Thy-1+ dendritic epidermal Cell lines. Science. 1987 May 15;236(4803):834–837. doi: 10.1126/science.2883729. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Kronenberg M., Siu G., Hood L. E., Shastri N. The molecular genetics of the T-cell antigen receptor and T-cell antigen recognition. Annu Rev Immunol. 1986;4:529–591. doi: 10.1146/annurev.iy.04.040186.002525. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Lai E., Concannon P., Hood L. Conserved organization of the human and murine T-cell receptor beta-gene families. Nature. 1988 Feb 11;331(6156):543–546. doi: 10.1038/331543a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Lehrach H., Diamond D., Wozney J. M., Boedtker H. RNA molecular weight determinations by gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions, a critical reexamination. Biochemistry. 1977 Oct 18;16(21):4743–4751. doi: 10.1021/bi00640a033. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Lew A. M., Pardoll D. M., Maloy W. L., Fowlkes B. J., Kruisbeek A., Cheng S. F., Germain R. N., Bluestone J. A., Schwartz R. H., Coligan J. E. Characterization of T cell receptor gamma chain expression in a subset of murine thymocytes. Science. 1986 Dec 12;234(4782):1401–1405. doi: 10.1126/science.3787252. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Loh E. Y., Lanier L. L., Turck C. W., Littman D. R., Davis M. M., Chien Y. H., Weiss A. Identification and sequence of a fourth human T cell antigen receptor chain. Nature. 1987 Dec 10;330(6148):569–572. doi: 10.1038/330569a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Marrack P., Kappler J. The T cell receptor. Science. 1987 Nov 20;238(4830):1073–1079. doi: 10.1126/science.3317824. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Matis L. A., Cron R., Bluestone J. A. Major histocompatibility complex-linked specificity of gamma delta receptor-bearing T lymphocytes. Nature. 1987 Nov 19;330(6145):262–264. doi: 10.1038/330262a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Pelkonen J., Traunecker A., Karjalainen K. A new mouse TCR V gamma gene that shows remarkable evolutionary conservation. EMBO J. 1987 Jul;6(7):1941–1944. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb02455.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Quertermous T., Strauss W. M., Van Dongen J. J., Seidman J. G. Human T cell gamma chain joining regions and T cell development. J Immunol. 1987 Apr 15;138(8):2687–2690. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Sanger F., Nicklen S., Coulson A. R. DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977 Dec;74(12):5463–5467. doi: 10.1073/pnas.74.12.5463. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Tabor S., Richardson C. C. DNA sequence analysis with a modified bacteriophage T7 DNA polymerase. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1987 Jul;84(14):4767–4771. doi: 10.1073/pnas.84.14.4767. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Takihara Y., Tkachuk D., Michalopoulos E., Champagne E., Reimann J., Minden M., Mak T. W. Sequence and organization of the diversity, joining, and constant region genes of the human T-cell delta-chain locus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Aug;85(16):6097–6101. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.16.6097. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Toyonaga B., Mak T. W. Genes of the T-cell antigen receptor in normal and malignant T cells. Annu Rev Immunol. 1987;5:585–620. doi: 10.1146/annurev.iy.05.040187.003101. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Triebel F., Faure F., Graziani M., Jitsukawa S., Lefranc M. P., Hercend T. A unique V-J-C-rearranged gene encodes a gamma protein expressed on the majority of CD3+ T cell receptor-alpha/beta- circulating lymphocytes. J Exp Med. 1988 Feb 1;167(2):694–699. doi: 10.1084/jem.167.2.694. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Wigler M., Sweet R., Sim G. K., Wold B., Pellicer A., Lacy E., Maniatis T., Silverstein S., Axel R. Transformation of mammalian cells with genes from procaryotes and eucaryotes. Cell. 1979 Apr;16(4):777–785. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(79)90093-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Yssel H., De Vries J. E., Koken M., Van Blitterswijk W., Spits H. Serum-free medium for generation and propagation of functional human cytotoxic and helper T cell clones. J Immunol Methods. 1984 Aug 3;72(1):219–227. doi: 10.1016/0022-1759(84)90450-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Experimental Medicine are provided here courtesy of The Rockefeller University Press

RESOURCES