Genetic controller prepares immune system for diverse threats

An army of immune cells circulates the human body to protect against its potential foes—viruses, bacteria, cancer cells, and other invaders. Because the immune system cannot know what to expect, it must be prepared to fend off virtually any foreign pathogen it might encounter. Now, Howard Hughes Medical Institute scientists have identified a genetic regulator that controls the reshuffling of gene segments that immune cells use to manufacture billions of distinct antibodies and pathogen-recognizing receptors from a limited number of genes.

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