One-step generation of monoclonal B cell receptor mice capable of class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation

Abstract

We developed a method for rapid generation of B cell receptor (BCR) monoclonal mice expressing pre-rearranged Igh and Igk chains monoallelically from the Igh locus by CRISPR/Cas9 injection into fertilized oocytes. B cells from these mice undergo somatic hypermutation (SHM), class switch recombination (CSR), and affinity-based selection in germinal centers. This method combines the practicality of BCR transgenes with the ability to study Ig SHM, CSR and affinity maturation.