Final answer:
TdT is an enzyme that adds random nucleotides to immunoglobulin genes, producing antibody diversity during B lymphocyte development.
Step-by-step explanation:
TdT, in the context of RAG genes and gene products, stands for Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase.
TdT is an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the generation of antibody diversity during the development of immune cells called B lymphocytes. It works by adding random nucleotides to the ends of gene segments during the process of V(D)J recombination, which produces diverse immunoglobulin genes.
For example, TdT can add additional nucleotides to the variable region of an antibody gene, resulting in varied amino acid sequences and ultimately a wide range of antibody molecules that can recognize and bind to different antigens.
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