Ir gene testing in H-2 mutants

Abstract

Four different C57BL/6 mutants, each with a mutation presumably in the H-2Kb locus, were studied to determine whether the mutations had affected Ir gene function. When tested with the antigens, (TG)-A-L, ovalbumin (OA), and lactic dehydrogenase (LDHB), there was no difference in the antibody response of the mutants when compared to the parental C57BL/6 strain and there was also no difference in the response to the histocompatibility H-Y antigen. The responses to these antigens have been mapped, wholly or partially in the K-IA, IA or IB subregions and therefore the identical response of parent and mutants may provisionally exclude H-2Kb as a site of Ir gene function for the four antigens tested. In addition, the BALB/c-dm2 mutant, a mutation in the H-2Ld locus, gave identical responses to the parental BALB/cKh strain.