Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Naturally occurring antibodies devoid of light chains

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

RANDOM association of VL and VH repertoires contributes considerably to antibody diversity1. The diversity and the affinity are then increased by hypermutation in B cells located in germinal centres2. Except in the case of 'heavy chain' disease3, naturally occurring heavy-chain antibodies have not been described, although antigen binding has been demonstrated for separated heavy chains4 or cloned VH domains5. Here we investigate the presence of considerable amounts of IgG-like material of Mr 100K in the serum of the camel (Camelus dromedarius)6. These molecules are composed of heavy-chain dimers and are devoid of light chains, but nevertheless have an extensive antigen-binding repertoire, a finding that calls into question the role of light chains in the camel. Camel heavy-chain IgGs lack CH1, which in one IgG class might be structurally replaced by an extended hinge. Heavy-chain IgGs are a feature of all camelids. These findings open new perspectives in the engineering of antibodies.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tonegawa, S. Nature 302, 575–581 (1983).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Jacob, J., Kelsoe, G., Rajewski, K. & Weiss, U. Nature 354, 389–392 (1991).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Fleischman, J. B., Pain, R. H. & Porter, R. R. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. Suppl. 1, 174–180 (1962).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Utsumi, S. & Karush, F. Biochemistry 3, 1329–1338 (1964).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Ward, E. S., Güssow, D., Griffiths, A.D., Jones, P. T. & Winter, G. Nature 341, 544–546 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ungar-Waron, H., Eliase, E., Gluckman, A. & Trainin, Z. Isr. J. vet. Med. 43, 198–203 (1987).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Bajyana Songa, E. & Hamers, R. Ann. Soc. Belge Méd. Trop. 68, 233–240 (1988).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Seligmann, M., Mihaesco, E., Preud'homme, J.-L., Danon, F. & Brouet, J.-C. Immun. Rev. 48, 145–167 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Traunecker, A., Schneider, J., Kiefer, H. & Karjalaien, K. Nature 339, 68–70 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Henderschot, L. M., Bole, D., Köhler, G. & Kearney, J. F. J. Cell Biol. 104, 761–767 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Henderschot, L. M. J. Cell Biol. 111, 829–837 (1990).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Roholt, O., Onoue, K. & Pressman, D. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 51, 173–178 (1964).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Chothia, C., Novotny, J., Bruccoleri, R. & Karplus, M. J. molec. Biol. 186, 651–663 (1985).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kabat, E. A., Wu, T. T., Reid-Miller, M., Perry, H. M. & Gottesman, K. S. Sequences of Proteins of Immunological Interest 511 (US Dept of Health and Human Services, US Public Health Service, NIH, Bethesda, 1987).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Jackson, T., Morris, B. A. & Sanders, P. G. Molec. Immun. 29, 667–676 (1992).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Poljak, R. J. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 70, 3305–3310 (1973).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Dangl, J. L., et al. EMBO J. 7, 1989–1994 (1988).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Schneider, W. P. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 85, 2509–2513 (1988).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Evans, J. S. et al. FEBS Lett. 208, 211–216 (1986).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Roditi, I. et al. J. Cell Biol. 108, 737–746 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Dunnick, W., Rabbits, T. H. & Milstein, C. Nucleic Acids Res. 8, 1475–1484 (1980).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Bülow, R., Nonnengässer, C. & Overath, P. Molec. Biochem. Parasitol. 32, 85–92 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Sambrook, J., Fritsch, E. F. & Maniatis, T. Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual 2nd edn (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, New York, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Sastry, L. et al. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86, 5728–5732 (1989).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Sanger, F., Nicklen, S. & Coulson, A. R. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 74, 5463–5467 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Klein, J. Immunology (Blackwell Scientific, London, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. G. Robinson: Department of Biochemistry, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Instituut voor Moleculaire Biologie, Paardenstraat 65, B-1640, Sint Genesius Rode, Belgium

    C. Hamers-Casterman, T. Atarhouch, S. Muyldermans, G. Robinson, C. Hammers, E. Bajyana Songa, N. Bendahman & R. Hammers

Authors
  1. C. Hamers-Casterman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. T. Atarhouch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Muyldermans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. G. Robinson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. C. Hammers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. E. Bajyana Songa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. N. Bendahman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. R. Hammers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hamers-Casterman, C., Atarhouch, T., Muyldermans, S. et al. Naturally occurring antibodies devoid of light chains. Nature 363, 446–448 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/363446a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/363446a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation