Figure 1.

Schematic representation of plasmid vector γ1NV ²VTSA³. This vector codes for a chimeric (mouse/human) H chain gene where The V_H region is the 2.3-kb EcoRI fragment containing the rearranged VDJ of a murine V_H7183 gene (14). The human γ1 constant region (CH1, CH2, and CH3) gene is in genomic configuration. Promoter (Pr) and enhancer (En) elements for tissue-specific expression and the neomycin (Neo^r) and ampicillin (Amp^r) resistance genes are indicated. The V_H region is mutagenized to code for two heterologous determinants, as indicated in the structure of the translated transgenic H chain product. The light chain is provided by the host cell. The amino acids NANP–NVDP–NANP (NVDP) in CDR2 and VTSAPDTRPAP (VTSA) in CDR3 are from the circumsporozoite protein of the malaria P. falciparum and MUC-1 antigens, respectively. CDR, complementarity-determining region; FR, framework region; H, heavy (chain); L, light (chain); V, variable region; C, constant region. Not to scale.