Summary
Transgenic mice with only a single VH gene are nonetheless able to make antibodies against many targets (1,2). A transgenic mouse with only VH1-2 produced antibodies against thirty targets, while one with only VH5-51 produced mAbs against seven targets. In the latter case, changes in CDRH3 alone were sufficient for specificity.
1.
SUAREZ E, MAGADAN S, SANJUAN I, VALLADARES M, MOLINA A, GAMBON F, et al. Rearrangement of only one human IGHV gene is sufficient to generate a wide repertoire of antigen specific antibody responses in transgenic mice. Molecular Immunology. 2006;43(11):1827–35. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molimm.2005.10.015
2.
Xu JL, Davis MM. Diversity in the CDR3 Region of VH Is Sufficient for Most Antibody Specificities. Immunity. 2000;13(1):37–45. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/s1074-7613(00)00006-6