At least two non-antigen-binding molecules are required for signal transduction by the T-cell antigen receptor.

In the T-cell somatic mutant J.CaM1, the T-cell antigen receptor complex is poorly coupled to the inositolphospholipid second messenger system; some antibodies against the invariant CD3 subunit of the receptor retain their agonist function in J.CaM1. Here we show by a combination of complementation assays that the mutation in J.CaM1 affects a molecule other than the antigen-binding Ti subunit, suggesting that Ti is coupled indirectly to the signal transduction apparatus through a pathway involving the CD3 complex. We also describe another mutant, J.CaM2, in which the receptor complex is completely uncoupled from inositolphospholipid hydrolysis. J.CaM2 defines an additional complementation group, suggesting that signal transduction by the antigen receptor depends on at least two molecules distinct from Ti.