Analysis of Tcra Gene Rearrangement by Southern Blot Technology (CAT#: STEM-MHT-0017-LGZ)

Introduction

Official Full Name: T cell receptor alpha chain
Also known as: Tcralpha
T cell receptors recognize foreign antigens, which are processed into small peptides and bound to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on the surface of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Each T cell receptor is a dimer consisting of one chain and one chain or one chain and one chain. In a single cell, T cell receptor loci are rearranged and expressed in the order delta, gamma, beta, and alpha. If both delta and gamma rearrangements result in a functional chain, the cell expresses delta and gamma. If not, the cell rearranges the beta and alpha loci. This region represents the germline organization of the T cell receptor alpha and delta loci. Both the alpha and delta loci include V (variable), J (junction) and C (constant) segments, and the delta locus also includes a diversity (D) segment. Delta sites are located within alpha sites, between alpha variables and linked genes. During T cell development, a delta strand is synthesized through a recombination event at the DNA level, linking the D segment with the J segment; a V segment is then attached to the D-J gene. The alpha chain is synthesized by recombining a single V segment with a J segment. For these two strands, the C segment is subsequently joined by splicing at the RNA level. Recombination of many different V segments with a few J segments provides broad antigen recognition. Additional diversity is gained through junctional diversity generated by random addition of nucleotides by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. Ten variable segments are available for either alpha or delta chains, indicated by the TRAV/DV notation. Several V and J segments at known alpha sites do not encode proteins and are considered pseudogenes.