Suppression of VH, Cγ and Cμ gene products in rabbits by maternal immunization against IgM allotype and detection of somatic recombinant molecules in these animals

Suppression of the μ‐chain allotype Ms16 was obtained in young heterozygous Ms16/Ms17 rabbits by immunizing the Ms17 mother against the paternal Ms16 allotype. Examination of the concentration of the VH and CH allotypes of paternal origin (a2, Ms16 and e14) in the offspring, revealed not only Ms16 suppression but also VHand Cγ allotypic suppression. The degree of suppression for the Cγ markers (4–25‐fold decrease) was much less than that for the Cμ or VH markers (50–150‐fold decrease). The excess Cμ marker (e14) was found to be present for the major part on molecules possessing the VH allotype derived from the homologous allelic chromosome. The pattern of persistence of molecules with the suppressed Cμ marker in the serum is consistent with the idea that these molecules arise by somatic recombination and that the gene order is VH, Cμ and Cγ.