Developmental propagation of V(D)J recombination-associated DNA breaks and translocations in mature B cells via dicentric chromosomes

Significance Antibody production depends on a cut-and-paste genomic rearrangement termed “V(D)J recombination” that takes place during early B-lymphocyte development. Mistakes in V(D)J recombination can lead to chromosomal translocations that activate oncogenes. Such mistakes usually lead to immature B-cell cancers. However, in the absence of the ATM kinase, mice can develop mature B-cell tumors with translocations resulting from V(D)J...