Abstract
THE origin of antibody diversity is still unclear. Either the 104 to 108 different antibody specificities of the vertebrate immune system are completely encoded in germ line genes, or somatic mutations or recombination of a few genes contribute substantially to diversity. Both the large pool of specificities for single antigens and the very heterogeneous specificities among different individuals of inbred mouse strains (which are assumed to be genetically homogeneous) have led to somatic mutation theories. We have studied the immune response in Xenopus frogs which can be heterozygous and at the same time genetically identical. If there are many identical antibodies against several antigens in different individuals, somatic changes of genes coding for antibody specificities cannot be important for antibody variability in such animals. Antibodies to two different antigens have been assayed for by two techniques: inactivation of antigen-coupled phages by antibodies including inhibition of inactivation by free antigen; and isoelectric focusing (IEF). The results show low variability of antibody specificity, and often identical patterns among different individuals having identical genetic background.
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WABL, M., Du PASQUIER, L. Antibody patterns in genetically identical frogs. Nature 264, 642–644 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1038/264642a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/264642a0
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