Biomaterial Database

Evolutionary hypervariability in the hinge region of the immunoglobulin alpha gene. 1990

S Kawamura, and K Omoto, and S Ueda

Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Science, University of Tokyo, Japan.

The hinge region of the immunoglobulin molecule is responsible for antigen-binding and cross-linking reactions, varying the distance between the two antigen-binding sites. As the amino acid sequence of the hinge region is identical among immunoglobulin molecules of the same (sub)class, it has been regarded as a constant region. By comparison of the nucleotide sequences among primate C alpha genes, it is clear that there is a wide variety of length among the hinge regions of hominoid C alpha genes, which basically consist of tandem repeats of a 15 base-pair sequence. This reiterated structure probably facilitates rapid evolutionary changes in the length of the hinge region. The hinge region of the Old World monkey C alpha gene has a non-reiterated structure whose nucleotide sequence is quite different from those of the hominoid C alpha genes, although its surrounding region is conserved during evolution. This unusual hypervariability reveals that the hinge region has evolved as a semi-variable region in contrast to its constant character from an ontogenic viewpoint.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007137	Immunoglobulin alpha-Chains	The class of heavy chains found in IMMUNOGLOBULIN A. They have a molecular weight of approximately 58 kDa and contain about 470 amino acid residues arranged in four domains and an oligosaccharide component bound covalently to their Fc fragment constant region.	Ig alpha Chains,Immunoglobulins, alpha-Chain,Immunoglobulin alpha-Chain,alpha-Chain Immunoglobulins,alpha-Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain,alpha-Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains,Chains, Ig alpha,Heavy Chain, alpha-Immunoglobulin,Heavy Chains, alpha-Immunoglobulin,Immunoglobulin alpha Chain,Immunoglobulin alpha Chains,Immunoglobulins, alpha Chain,alpha Chain Immunoglobulins,alpha Chains, Ig,alpha Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain,alpha Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains,alpha-Chain, Immunoglobulin,alpha-Chains, Immunoglobulin
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D011323	Primates	An order of mammals consisting of more than 300 species that include LEMURS; LORISIDAE; TARSIERS; MONKEYS; and HOMINIDS. They are characterized by a relatively large brain when compared with other terrestrial mammals, forward-facing eyes, the presence of a CALCARINE SULCUS, and specialized MECHANORECEPTORS in the hands and feet which allow the perception of light touch.	Primate
D011487	Protein Conformation	The characteristic 3-dimensional shape of a protein, including the secondary, supersecondary (motifs), tertiary (domains) and quaternary structure of the peptide chain. PROTEIN STRUCTURE, QUATERNARY describes the conformation assumed by multimeric proteins (aggregates of more than one polypeptide chain).	Conformation, Protein,Conformations, Protein,Protein Conformations
D005075	Biological Evolution	The process of cumulative change over successive generations through which organisms acquire their distinguishing morphological and physiological characteristics.	Evolution, Biological
D005803	Genes, Immunoglobulin	Genes encoding the different subunits of the IMMUNOGLOBULINS, for example the IMMUNOGLOBULIN LIGHT CHAIN GENES and the IMMUNOGLOBULIN HEAVY CHAIN GENES. The heavy and light immunoglobulin genes are present as gene segments in the germline cells. The completed genes are created when the segments are shuffled and assembled (B-LYMPHOCYTE GENE REARRANGEMENT) during B-LYMPHOCYTE maturation. The gene segments of the human light and heavy chain germline genes are symbolized V (variable), J (joining) and C (constant). The heavy chain germline genes have an additional segment D (diversity).	Genes, Ig,Immunoglobulin Genes,Gene, Ig,Gene, Immunoglobulin,Ig Gene,Ig Genes,Immunoglobulin Gene
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000595	Amino Acid Sequence	The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION.	Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001483	Base Sequence	The sequence of PURINES and PYRIMIDINES in nucleic acids and polynucleotides. It is also called nucleotide sequence.	DNA Sequence,Nucleotide Sequence,RNA Sequence,DNA Sequences,Base Sequences,Nucleotide Sequences,RNA Sequences,Sequence, Base,Sequence, DNA,Sequence, Nucleotide,Sequence, RNA,Sequences, Base,Sequences, DNA,Sequences, Nucleotide,Sequences, RNA