Epigenetic regulation of antigen receptor gene rearrangement

F1000 Biol Rep. 2010 Mar 25:2:23. doi: 10.3410/B2-23.

Abstract

V(D)J recombination assembles antigen-specific immunoglobulin and T-cell receptor variable region genes from germline V, D, and J segments during lymphocyte development. Regulation of this site-specific DNA rearrangement process occurs with respect to the cell type and stage of differentiation, order of locus recombination, and allele usage. Many of these controls are mediated via the modulation of gene accessibility to the V(D)J recombinase. Here, we summarise recent advances regarding the impact of nuclear organisation and epigenetic-based mechanisms on the regulation of V(D)J recombination.