Structural correlates to the rabbit immunoglobulin heavy chain a100 allotype

Three a100/a100 homozygous rabbits immunized with Micrococcus lysodeikticus produced large amounts of anti-polysaccharide antibodies of restricted heterogeneity. These antibodies were purified by either immunoabsorption or ion exchange chromatography. The almost complete sequence of one heavy chain spanning residues 1-123, with the exception of 10 residues (66-67 and 79-86), was determined. Partial sequence data were also obtained for the two other heavy chains. The identity of these three sequences in the first framework region unraveled a prototype sequence of the a100 allotype that differs from homologous sequence of VH regions that determine other allotypic specificities. The gradient of sequence conservation was found to be a100 greater than a3 greater than a1 greater than a- greater than a2. Homologies in sequence paralleled previously described serological cross-reactions observed between a100, a3 and a1 specificities. This remarkable conservation of framework residues suggests that the VH regions of the rabbit immunoglobulins represent a paucigene system, in which each basic allotypic specificity might be encoded a discrete subgroup of genes.