Rearrangement of T-cell receptor beta-chain genes during T-cell development.

The kinetics and order of rearrangements in the gene complex encoding T-cell-receptor beta chains were studied by Southern blot hybridization in a collection of hybridomas derived from fetal thymocytes at various stages of ontogeny (day 14 to day 17). Our results show a steady increase in the frequency of rearranged beta complexes during this period and suggest that these rearrangements occur within the thymus. beta-chain diversity region (D beta) to beta-chain joining region (J beta) joining preceded other types of rearrangements. More complex hybridization patterns consistent with fully rearranged functional beta-chain genes did not begin to accumulate until day 16, 1 day prior to significant surface expression of the receptor protein.