Genetic polymorphism of lambda 1 and lambda 3 immunoglobulin light chains in the Mus subgenus.

Several inbred or partially inbred mouse strains derived from wild mice of different Mus subgroups were surveyed for expression of lambda 1 light chain. One strain, SPE, expressed little or no lambda 1 chains. Two populations of antibodies were obtained by immunization of SPE mice with lambda 1 light chain isolated from the BALB/c J558 (alpha, lambda 1) myeloma protein. One population of antibodies recognized lambda 1 allotypic determinants located on the C terminal fragment beginning at the residue 176. A second population was directed against epitopes present on both lambda 1 and lambda 3 chains. These determinants, which were detected in all strains tested with the exception of SPE, were located in the V region. This result is in concordance with recent DNA studies showing that the lambda 1 and lambda 3 isotype use the same V lambda 1 genes (Blomberg, B. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1981. 78: 3765). Whether the V epitopes recognized by SPE antibodies are allotypic or isotypic in nature is not certain.