Molecular evolution of VH9 germline genes isolated from DBA, BALB, 129 and C57BL mouse strains and sublines
Date
2003
Authors
Zylstra, Paula
Franklin, Andrew
Hassan, Karl
Powell, Kim
Steele, Edward J
Blanden, Robert
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer
Abstract
We have used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in an attempt to clone and sequence the exons and hitherto unavailable contiguous flanks of all members of the small VH9 germline gene family from inbred mouse strains and sublines that have had a common ancestry within the last century, and to analyze the molecular evolution of these sequences. Fifteen genuine germline genes were isolated (designated VH9.1 through VH9.15) from strains and sublines of DBA, BALB, 129 and C57BL inbred mice. Of the 15 genuine isolates, nine are novel: seven sequences from DBA strains and sublines (VH9.3 to VH9.9) and two sequences from C57BL strains (VH9.13 and VH9.14). We have identified sequencing errors and PCR recombinant artefacts in previously published sequences. We detected no sequence divergence of individual genes shared by the strains and sublines studied. However, we isolated two genes from DBA strains and sublines, VH9.1 and VH9.3, that differ only by five nucleotides encoding three amino acid changes that are concentrated within a 33 nucleotide (11 codon) region. Of these 11 codons, eight encode a putative antigen binding site. There were no differences in the remaining 733 nucleotides sequenced (including both 5′ and 3′ flanking regions). Potential explanations for the generation of VH9.1 and VH9.3 are discussed.
Description
Keywords
Keywords: amino acid; immunoglobulin; nucleotide; animal experiment; article; exon; gene isolation; gene sequence; germ line; molecular cloning; molecular evolution; mouse; multigene family; nonhuman; nucleotide sequence; polymerase chain reaction; priority journal Evolution; Germline; Immunoglobulin; Mouse; V gene
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Source
Immunogenetics
Type
Journal article