Rearrangement and transcription of the β-chain genes of the T-cell antigen receptor in different types of murine lymphocytes

Rearrangements of T-cell receptor β-chain genes are usually found on both chromosomal homologues, occurring by both deletional and non-deletional mechanisms. Two constant-region (C_β) genes have been identified previously and at least one is transcribed in every helper or cytotoxic T cell tested, but the choice of C_β gene expression is not correlated with the specialized functions of these T lymphocytes. By contrast, four of five suppressor T-cell hybridomas examined have deleted all known joining (J _β) gene segments and C_β genes and therefore may have antigen receptors encoded by different T-cell receptor gene families.