The somatically generated T cell receptor CDR3a contributes to the MHC allele specificity of the T cell receptor

Mature T cells bearing {beta} T cell receptors react with foreign antigens bound to alleles of major histocompatibility complex proteins (MHC) that they were exposed to during their development in the thymus, a phenomenon known as positive selection. The structural basis for positive selection has long been debated. Here, using mice expressing one of two different T cell receptor {beta} chains and various MHC alleles, we show that positive selection-induced MHC bias of T cell receptors is affected both by the germline encoded elements of the T cell receptor and {beta} chain and, surprisingly, dramatically affected by the non germ line encoded CDR3 of the T cell receptor chain. Thus, in addition to determining specificity for antigen, the non germline encoded elements of T cell receptors may help the proteins cope with the extremely polymorphic nature of major histocompatibility complex products within the species.