Human light chain genes

The structure of the k locus in man is similar to that described for the mouse (Fig. 2). A single CK gene is located about 3 kb downstream of the JK cluster [43,44]. Two major differences exist between the mouse and human loci (1) fewer VK genes have been found in humans (estimated at around 50 [45,46]) and (2) there are four active JK segments (the equivalent to the mouse JK3 is missing). 

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Newburger, P. E., Dai, Q., Whitney, C. (1991). In vitro regulation of human phagocyte cytochrome b heavy and light chain gene expression by bacterial lipopolysaccharide and recombinant human cytokines. J. Biol. Chem. 266,16171-7. 

Kueppers, R., Fischer, U., Rajewsky K., et al. (1992). Immunoglobulin heavy and light chain gene sequences of a human CD5 positive immunocytoma and sequences of four novel VHIII germline genes. Immunol. Lett., 34, 57-62. 

Hieter, P.A., Korsmeyer, S.J., Waldmann, T.A., Leder, P. (1981b). Human immunoglobulin k light-chain genes are deleted or rearranged in X-producing B cells. Nature 290,368-372. 

Watkins BA, Davis AE, Fiorentini S, Reitz Jr MS, Y-region and class specific RT-PCR amplification of human immunoglobulin heavy and light chain genes from Bcell lines. Scand. J. Immunol., 42 442 -48, 1995. 

Dinauer, M. C., Pierce, E. A., Bruns, G. A. P., Curnutte, J. T., Orkin, S. H. (1990). Human neutrophil cytochrome b light chain (p22-phox). Gene structure, chromosomal location, and mutations in cytochrome-negative autosomal recessive chronic granulomatous disease. J. Clin. Invest. 86, 1729-37. 

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