RAG1 (Recombination activating gene 1) and RAG2 (Recombination activating gene 2) are the V(D)J recombination activating genes [1]. RAG1 and RAG2 synergistically activate V(D)J recombination [2]. RAG1 and RAG2 are adjacent genes.
The RAG1 coding region is contained within a single exon, excepted in the rainbow trout [11] and the zebrafish [17] genes in which the RAG1 genes has one and two introns, respectively.
RAG1 deficient mice [5] and RAG2 deficient mice [6] have no mature B and T lymphocytes.
The RAG1 protein possesses:
aa (xxx-xxx) is essential for V(D)J recombination [9,10].
Low levels of RAG1 transcripts were detected in the murine central nervous system CNS, whereas RAG2 is not clearly expressed [3].
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