Two str1cturally similar haptens each induce a different inherited idiotype.

When mice of the A/J strain were immunized with azobenzenearsonate (ABA) directly coupled to a protein, they produced antibodies that share an inherited cross-reactive idiotype (CRI). In the antigenic determinant that induces CRI, ABA is very probably coupled to tyrosine, and the structure that protrudes from the polypeptide backbone has two benzene rings and a molecular weight of 419. When this same structure is separated from the polypeptide backbone by a spacer of 99 daltons, it induces a different inherited idiotype (ABA-HOP-e) in the same strain of mice. Our data suggest that antibodies with the idiotype CRI recognize the terminal benzene ring and the azo group, but do not fit closely around the second ring structure. Antibodies with the idiotype ABA-HOP-e have fine specificity for both benzene rings. Both idiotypes are inherited and both are linked to genes controlling constant regions of the heavy chains.