title: Deletional mapping of fifteen mouse VH gene families reveals a common organization for three Igh haplotypes.
abstract: In addition to the content of germ-line variable gene segments, the organization of V genes has been implicated in the development of the Ab repertoire. We have searched the expressed VH genes of BALB/c mice for additional VH gene families and utilized deletion mapping to explore the extent of VH gene family interspersion. We have identified and characterized one new VH gene family (VH15) and extended our previous studies of the Igha and Ighb haplotypes to include a third haplotype (Ighj) using a newly developed panel of pre-B cell lines (CXCB cell lines). We conclude that the Igha, Ighb, and Ighj haplotypes have a similar Igh-V locus structure. A refined deletional map for 15 VH gene families and an individual member of the VHSM7 family (H10) has been constructed based on the deletion profiles of 72 rearranged heavy chain loci. These results demonstrate previously unrecognized examples of interspersion among members of the VHS107, VH10, and VHSM7 families.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Program, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mainville
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Sheehan
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Klaman
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Giorgetti
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Press
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Brodeur
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D015322:Gene Rearrangement, B-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000276:immunology*; D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics*; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000276:immunology*; D017384:Sequence Deletion / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D007143:Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region