Abstract
V(D)J recombination and expression of the T-cell receptor beta (TCRbeta) gene are required for the development of the alphabeta T lymphocyte lineage. These processes depend on a transcriptional enhancer (Ebeta) which acts preferentially on adjacent upstream sequences, and has little impact on the 5' distal and 3' proximal regions of the TCRbeta locus. Using knock-in mice, we show that alphabeta T-cell differentiation and TCRbeta gene recombination and expression are not sensitive to the orientation of Ebeta sequences. We discuss the implication of these results regarding the mode of enhancer function at this locus during T lymphocyte development.