• 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 119 (3), 993-999
Abstract
The complete amino acid sequence of the variable regions of L chains derived from anti-p-azophenylarsonate antibodies from A/J mice bearing a cross-reactive idiotype is reported. At least 2 and probably more than 3 distinct L chains are associated with this idiotypically characterized antibody. The antibodies have several differences in their framework structures but all 3 L chain hypervariable regions evidently have a homogeneous sequence. The data are discussed in relation to the various theories of antibody diversity. Hypervariable regions, idiotypic determinants and the antibody-combining site involve, to a large extent, the same molecular structures.