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A map of the human immunoglobulin VH locus completed by analysis of the telomeric region of chromosome 14q

Nature Genetics volume 7, pages 162–168 (1994)Cite this article

Abstract

Analysis of the telomeric region of chromosome 14q has enabled us to complete a map of the immunoglobulin VH locus which accounts for almost all VH segments known to rearrange in B-lymphocytes. The human germline VH repertoire consists of approximately 50 functional VH segments — the exact number depending on the haplotype — spanning 1,100 kilobases upstream of the JH segments. A yeast artificial chromosome used to map these segments was isolated by its ability to provide telomere activity in yeast, suggesting that the VH locus may be located within a few kilobases of the 14q telomere. The limited structural diversity encoded by the functional VH segments demonstrates the importance of combinatorial diversity produced by VDJ joining and the association of heavy and light chains in producing the human antibody repertoire.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Gerald Walter

    Present address: Cambridge Antibody Technology, Science Park, Melbourn, Cambridgeshire, SG8 6EJ, UK

  2. Lakjaya Buluwela

    Present address: Department of Biochemistry, Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, Fulham Palace Road, London, W6 8RF, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QH, UK

    Graham P. Cook, Ian M. Tomlinson, Gerald Walter, Lakjaya Buluwela, Greg Winter & Terence H. Rabbitts

  2. MRC Centre for Protein Engineering, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QH, UK

    Graham P. Cook, Ian M. Tomlinson, Gerald Walter & Greg Winter

  3. The Wistar Institute, 36th Street at Spruce, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104-4268, USA

    Harold Riethman

  4. Department of Pathology, Cambridge University, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK

    Nigel P. Carter

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Cook, G., Tomlinson, I., Walter, G. et al. A map of the human immunoglobulin VH locus completed by analysis of the telomeric region of chromosome 14q. Nat Genet 7, 162–168 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng0694-162

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