The molecular assembly of the marsupial γμ T cell receptor defines a third T cell lineage

Kimberly A. Morrissey, Marcin Wegrecki, T. Praveena, Victoria L. Hansen, Lijing Bu, Komagal Kannan Sivaraman, Samuel Darko, Daniel C. Douek, Jamie Rossjohn, Robert D. Miller, Jérôme Le Nours

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

αβ and γδ T cell receptors (TCRs) are highly diverse antigen receptors that define two evolutionary conserved T cell lineages. We describe a population of γμTCRs found exclusively in non-eutherian mammals that consist of a two-domain (Vγ-Cγ) γ-chain paired to a three-domain (Vμ-Vμj-Cμ) μ-chain. γμTCRs were characterized by restricted diversity in the Vγ and Vμj domains and a highly diverse unpaired Vμ domain. Crystal structures of two distinct γμTCRs revealed the structural basis of the association of the γμTCR heterodimer. The γμ domain shared the characteristics of a single-domain antibody within which the hypervariable CDR3μ loop suggests a major antigen recognition determinant. We define here the molecular basis underpinning the assembly of a third TCR lineage, the γμTCR.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1383-1388
Number of pages6
JournalScience
Volume371
Issue number6536
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Mar 2021

Cite this