Traunecker A, Oliveri F, Allen N, Karjalainen K
EMBO J. 1986 Jul;5(7):1589-93. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04400.x.
The T cell-specific gamma gene family is organized into four V, J and C gene segments containing clusters (gamma 1, gamma 2, gamma 3, gamma 4) in germline DNA. We found that the V, J and C elements of gamma 2 are physically linked on a stretch of 6 kb of DNA while those of gamma 3 are found within a 15-kb region. Rearrangements take place only within the clusters, explaining the rigid rearrangement patterns seen in T lymphocytes. New V gamma, J gamma and C gamma gene segments were discovered and characterized allowing the better understanding of the potential germline diversity of the gamma gene family. No correlation with T cell function, i.e. cytolytic or helper, and the type of the productive gamma rearrangement could be established. In contrast we found that functional T cell clones have been able to mature without any functional gamma chain genes.
T细胞特异性γ基因家族在种系DNA中被组织成四个包含簇（γ1、γ2、γ3、γ4）的V、J和C基因片段。我们发现γ2的V、J和C元件在一段6 kb的DNA上物理连接，而γ3的元件位于一个15 kb的区域内。重排仅在簇内发生，这解释了在T淋巴细胞中看到的严格重排模式。新的Vγ、Jγ和Cγ基因片段被发现并进行了表征，从而更好地理解了γ基因家族潜在的种系多样性。未发现与T细胞功能（即细胞溶解或辅助功能）和有功能的γ重排类型之间存在相关性。相反，我们发现功能性T细胞克隆能够在没有任何功能性γ链基因的情况下成熟。
