Germline T cell receptor exchange results in physiological T cell development and function

Abstract

The currently available transgenic T cell receptor (TCR) models represent high affinity antigen-TCR interactions. Authors here present an alternative approach to target an exogenous TCR into the physiological Trac locus in the germline of mice, which uncovers that the natural genomic context for TCRs can enhance the antigen sensitivity of lower affinity TCRs and enables the physiologic range of antigen-TCR interaction and a gene dosage dependent mechanism of central tolerance.