Exclusion of VHa and VHy loci expression on individual B cells from normal and VH allotype-suppressed rabbits.

The distribution of two heavy chain subgroups, VHa and VHy, on rabbit peripheral blood lymphocytes was examined by double membrane immunofluorescence. Fluroescent anti-a1 and anti-y33 were found to react with separate B cell populations; no doubly stained cells were observed. Further evidence for the independent expression of genes controlling the VHa and VHy subgroups were obtained by neonatal suppression of a 2 or y33 in a2y33/a3y- heterozygous rabbits. Suppression of VHa did not affect the expression of VHy, nor did the suppression of VHy affect the expression of VHa. The expression of a single VH gene per B cell is in marked contrast to the simultaneous expression of multiple CH genes.