title: Polymorphisms of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain delta gene and association with other constant-region genes.
abstract: Polymorphisms have previously been reported for the C mu, C alpha, C epsilon, and C gamma genes of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain (IGH) gene cluster. Here we report polymorphisms of the IGH C delta gene region, observed using the enzymes ApaI, AvaII, TaqI, and XbaI. The TaqI and XbaI polymorphisms were used in an investigation of linkage disequilibrium throughout the cluster of constant-region genes. The TaqI polymorphism, located 5' to the C delta gene, is in linkage disequilibrium with a polymorphism of the C mu switch region. The XbaI polymorphism, which is in the vicinity of the C delta 2 exon, is not strongly associated with any other polymorphisms, including the TaqI polymorphism and the Gm polymorphism of C gamma 3. Although there is a high degree of association between most genes of the IGH region, there is a lack of association between C delta and C gamma 3, which may indicate a hot spot for recombination.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Benger
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Cox
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005091:Exons; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions / Q000235:genetics*; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007138:Immunoglobulin delta-Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D005810:Multigene Family; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D015183:Restriction Mapping
chemical_list: D007127:Immunoglobulin Constant Regions; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007138:Immunoglobulin delta-Chains; D004247:DNA