title: Phylogeny, genomic organization and expression of lambda and kappa immunoglobulin light chain genes in a reptile, Anolis carolinensis.
abstract: The reptiles are the last major taxon of jawed vertebrates in which immunoglobulin light chain isotypes have not been well characterized. Using the recently released genome sequencing data, we show in this study that the reptile Anolis carolinensis expresses both lambda and kappa light chain genes. The genomic organization of both gene loci is structurally similar to their respective counterparts in mammals. The identified lambda locus contains three constant region genes each preceded by a joining gene segment, and a total of 37 variable gene segments. In contrast, the kappa locus contains only a single constant region gene, and two joining gene segments with a single family of 14 variable gene segments located upstream. Analysis of junctions of the recombined VJ transcripts reveals a paucity of N and P nucleotides in both expressed lambda and kappa sequences. These results help us to understand the generation of the immunoglobulin repertoire in reptiles and immunoglobulin evolution in vertebrates.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, PR China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhiguo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Xiaoxiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Qingyong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Qinghong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hammarström
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yaofeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D015321:Gene Rearrangement / Q000276:immunology; D016678:Genome; D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008116:Lizards / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D007145:Immunoglobulin kappa-Chains; D007146:Immunoglobulin lambda-Chains