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A coming-of-age story: activation-induced cytidine deaminase turns 10

Nature Immunology volume 10, pages 1147–1153 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

The discovery and characterization of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) 10 years ago provided the basis for a mechanistic understanding of secondary antibody diversification and the subsequent generation and maintenance of cellular memory in B lymphocytes, which signified a major advance in the field of B cell immunology. Here we celebrate and review the triumphs in the mission to understand the mechanisms through which AID influences antibody diversification, as well as the implications of AID function on human physiology. We also take time to point out important ongoing controversies and outstanding questions in the field and highlight key experiments and techniques that hold the potential to elucidate the remaining mysteries surrounding this vital protein.

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Figure 1: Antibody diversification.
Figure 2: Specific localization to the nuclear periphery may be important for DSB repair.

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Acknowledgements

Supported by the Department of Defense (R.K.D.), the US National Institutes of Health (CA098495 for AID-related work in the F.N.P. laboratory) and the Intramural Program of the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health (S.D.F.).

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  1. Laboratory of Lymphocyte Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA

    Rebecca K Delker & F Nina Papavasiliou

  2. Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

    Sebastian D Fugmann

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Delker, R., Fugmann, S. & Papavasiliou, F. A coming-of-age story: activation-induced cytidine deaminase turns 10. Nat Immunol 10, 1147–1153 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni.1799

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