Molecular Characterization of Antibodies Bearing Id-460. I. The Structure of Two Highly Homologous VH Genes Used to Produce Idiotype Positive Immunoglobulins

The heavy chain immunoglobulin genes encoding a variety of antibodies specific for DNP or Pasteurella pneumotropica and bearing the dominant idiotype of MOPC 460, Id-460, were cloned and sequenced. The VH genes encoding the M460 and D35 (DNP binding) antibodies were found to be homologous but not identical to the VH gene encoding the LB8 (P. pneumotropica binding) monoclonal antibody. Two of at least eight genes in the VH460 cross-hybridizing gene family can encode Id-460 positive antibodies. The VH460 gene family overlaps with the gene family described by VH36-60 and more completely describes this germ-line VH gene family. We have previously demonstrated a genetic requirement for VK1 expression in order to observe the expression of Id-460 in anti-DNP antibody responses. Southern blot analysis of these monoclonal antibody-producing cells demonstrates, as with the cross-hybridizing VH, that two cross-hybridizing VK1 genes (VK1A and VK1C) can be used to encode Id-460-positive immunoglobulins. We demonstrate that immunoglobulin idiotype determinant expression can be the result of the expression of nonidentical but highly homologous genes in the VH460 cross-hybridizing VH gene family and also in the VK1 cross-hybridizing VL family.