Amino acid sequence of the heavy chain variable region from the A/J mouse antiarsonate monoclonal antibody 36-60 bearing a minor idiotype

Abstract

In addition to the predominant idiotype family (IdCR) associated with the murine A/J anti-azophenylarsonate response, a second idiotype family (Id36-60) was defined on the basis of serologic cross-reactivity and amino acid sequence homology among monoclonal antibodies [Marshak-Rothstein, A., Margolies, M.N., Benedetto, J.D., & Gefter, M.L. (1981) Eur. J. Immunol. 11, 565-572]. The complete variable region amino acid sequence of the A/J IgG2a hybridoma protein 36-60 heavy chain was obtained by automated Edman degradation of the intact chain and fragments generated by cleavage with CNBr and by tryptic digestion of a succinylated CNBr peptide. A comparison of the Id36-60 heavy chain sequence to that of the IdCR heavy chain variable region reveals only 45% homology between them. The structural data indicate that different genes encode the VH, D, and JH gene-encoded sequences in the two idiotypes.