Formation of ultralong DH regions through genomic rearrangement

Abstract

Cow antibodies are very unusual in having exceptionally long CDR H3 regions. The genetic basis for this length largely derives from long heavy chain diversity (DH) regions, with a single “ultralong” DH, IGHD8-2, encoding over fifty amino acids. Most bovine IGHD regions are homologous but have several nucleotide repeating units that diversify their lengths. Genomically, most DH regions exist in three clusters that appear to have formed from DNA duplication events. The cluster containing IGHD8-2 underwent a rearrangement and deletion event in relation to the other clusters in the region corresponding to IGHD8-2, with possible fusion of two DH regions and expansion of short repeats to form the ultralong IGHD8-2 gene. Length heterogeneity within DH regions is a unique evolutionary genomic mechanism to create immune diversity, including formation of ultralong CDR H3 regions.