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B cells mature into what? What do they express?
These cells express immunoglobulin receptors on their cell surface. B cells eventually differentiate into plasma cells.
Antibodies are created by how many polypeptides? What are they called?
They are made of 2 heavy chain and 2 light chain immunoglobulins
What region do antibodies bind antigens through?
They bind them through the variable region (near the end of the antibody)
How many different types of immunoglobulin are there? What are they?
There are 5 (IgG, IgM, IgD, IgA, IgE)
What are the Ig(s) built from?
Constant and variable regions
Amino acid variation is located at what group of terminal loops?
The N-terminal set of loops
What is an epitope (AKA antigen determinant)?
It’s a portion of an antigen recognized by the immune system.
What are monoclonal antibodies?
Protein cells engineered and selected for in a lab setting to defend against a single antigen or group of antigens.
Where does rearrangement of a gene segment or group of segments take place?
This occurs only in B cells
What are the 2 different types of light chains?
Lambda chains (about 1/3rd) and Kappa chains (2/3rds)
What are the 4 distinct regions of a light chain?
L: The leading peptide
V: Variable
J: Joining
C: Constant
What additional region do heavy chains possess?
A 5th region D (Diversity)
Light chain and heavy chain V regions recombine what segments?
Light chains involve V and J being recombined, while heavy chains have V, D, and J recombined.
What is somatic recombination?
The random recombination of DNA within B cells, commonly to promote/increase genetic diversity.
What is the order for heavy chain recombination?
1D and 1J are recombined, then 1DJ and 1V are recombined.
How are gene segments connected in the correct order?
Recombinant signal sequences (RSS) sit downstream of Variable regions, and upstream of joining regions.
When two segments join, what spacers for recombination do you need?
A 12bp and a 23bp spacer (NOT two of the same)
What are RAG proteins? Why are they important?
They help to increase genetic diversity by helping to cleave RSS molecules and attaching randomly selected nucleotides. This occurs until pairing connects both sides of the strand, and extra is trimmed away.
