Spoligotype patterns evolve through the deletion of spacer sequences that cannot be recovered and have provided Dr Mark Tanaka with a rich source of data with which to understand the transmission of disease.
A Bioinformatic Study of Immunoglobulin Lambda Genes
Over the last few years, our laboratory has made a significant contribution to our understanding of the generation of immunoglobulin diversity by analysis of rearranged immunoglobulin genes. Our studies to date have concentrated on immunoglobulin heavy chain genes and kappa light chain genes. We now wish to conclude this series of studies by evaluating the reported lambda light chain genes. This project will involve the development of a database of rearranged genes, and their partitioning into IGLV and IGLJ components. This will then allow gene usage, as well as gene processing (exonuclease removals and N nucleotide addition), to be quantified. Detailed analysis of gene usage should allow us to identify allele sequences that include sequencing errors, as well as identifying the existence of likely unreported polymorphisms. Genome screening will then be carried out in an attempt to confirm the existence of these apparent polymorphisms. This second part of the project would involve PCR, cloning and sequencing.
BABS personnel that are responsible for this project