The genetic control of the immune response to staphylococcal nuclease VI. Recombination between genes determining the A/J anti-nuclease idiotypes and the heavy chain allotype locus.

Rat antisera detecting binding site-specific idiotypic determinants on anti-nuclease antibodies from A/J mice have been used to define the A/J anti-nuclease idiotype and to investigate its genetic linkage as a variable region marker. Analysis of the segregation of the A/J idiotype in progeny of the backcross (B10.A X A/J) X B10.A showed linkage of the idiotype to the Ig-1e heavy chain allotype locus. There was, however, a very high apparent frequency of recombination, with 7 of 101 backcross animals having a recombinant phenotype. All of these putative recombinants were accounted for by Ig-1b/Ig-1b homozygotes which bore the A/J idiotype, and none by Ig-1b/Ig-1e heterozygotes lacking the idiotype. On progeny testing of these animals in another backcross to B10.A the recombinant trait bred true. If this idiotype is indeed a marker for variable region structural genes, then the germ line gene pool must be very large or there must be special genetic mechanism to account for the increased recombinational frequency observed.