Chicken high molecular weight immunoglobulin (IgM) allotypes: localization on the heavy chains and proposed nomenclature

Abstract

An alloantiserum recognizing a genetic marker (CM-1.4) on chicken 17S Ig was generated by immunizing jungle fowl with Salmonella O-anti-Salmonella O (UCD 3) agglutinates. Specificities CM-1.4 and M1a were present on 7S subunits and H chains based on their ability to inhibit in RIA the binding of alloantibody (anti-CM-1.4 or anti-M1a) to UCD 3 125I-17S Ig. CM-1.4 appears to be fully expressed on 7S subunits but is altered on H chains. In contrast, anti-M1a bound both 7S subunits and H chains with decreased avidity indicating that the M1a specificity was altered in both preparations. Since CM-1.4 and M1a are present on 17S Ig H chains, and absent from 7S Ig, they probably represent allotypic markers in the constant region of 17S Ig H chains. Having assigned two 17S Ig allotypic specificities to H chains, we propose that the locus controlling their expression be called CM-1. Based on the distribution of the CM-1.4 and M1a allotypes in inbred lines of chickens, 3 alleles are defined at the CM-1 locus.