The use of hybrid H-2 genes for localizing the positions of polymorphic determinants recognized by antibodies and by cytotoxic T cells.

Hybrid H-2 genes have been constructed in which the DNA sequences encoding the C2 domains were exchanged between the H-2Ld and H-2Dd genes in order to determine the positions of polymorphic sites of mouse class I antigen. DNA-mediated gene transfer allowed the expression of hybrid H-2 genes in mouse fibroblasts. Binding studies with monoclonal anti-H-2 antibodies against the transformed cells revealed that some serologic determinants were mapped to the C2 domain, while the majority mapped to the N and/or C1 domains. In contrast, uncloned anti-Ld and anti-Dd cytotoxic T lymphocytes predominantly recognized N and/or C1 but not C2 domains. Additionally, all three H-2-restricted hapten-specific cytotoxic T-cell populations (TNP, FITC, and AED) showed predominant detection of N and/or C1 domains.