title: On the genomics of immunoglobulins in the gray, short-tailed opossum Monodelphis domestica.
abstract: Annotated maps of the IGH, IGK, and IGL loci in the gray, short-tailed opossum Monodelphis domestica were generated from analyses of the available whole genome sequence for this species. Analyses of their content and organization confirmed a number of previous conclusions based on characterization of complementary DNAs encoding opossum immunoglobulin heavy and light chains and limited genomic analysis, including (a) the predominance of a single immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IGHV) subgroup and clan, (b) the presence of a single immunoglobulin (Ig)G subclass, (c) the apparent absence of an IgD, and (d) the general organization and V gene complexity of the IGK and IGL light chain loci. In addition, several unexpected discoveries were made including the presence of a partial V to D, germline-joined IGHV segment, the first germline-joined Ig V gene to be found in a mammal. In addition was the presence of a larger number of IGKV subgroups than had been previously identified. With this report, annotated maps of the major histocompatibility complex, T-cell receptor, and immunoglobulin loci have been completed for M. domestica, the only non-eutherian mammalian species for which this has been accomplished, strengthening the utility of this species as a model organism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Center for Evolutionary & Theoretical Immunology, The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
authors.forename: Xinxin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jonathan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Olp
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D005091:Exons; D005803:Genes, Immunoglobulin; D050438:Genes, Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain; D050439:Genes, Immunoglobulin Light Chain; D023281:Genomics; D055261:Immunogenetic Phenomena; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000235:genetics*; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D048309:Monodelphis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D007136:Immunoglobulins