Sequence and evolution of the human germline V-lambda repertoire

We recently completed a map of the human immunoglobulin lambda (IGL) locus on chromosome 22q11.2 and showed that the V-lambda genes are arranged in three distinct clusters, each containing members of different V-lambda families. We have now sequenced each of these V-lambda genes and determined which are functional by comparison with the expressed repertoire. Our analysis indicates that there are approximately 30 functional V-lambda genes, depending on the haplotype, that belong to ten V-lambda families (five V(lambda)1, five V(lambda)2, eight V(lambda)3, three V(lambda)4, three V(lambda)5, one V(lambda)6, two V(lambda)7, one V(lambda)8, one V(lambda)9 and one V(lambda)10). V-lambda genes related to the major human V-lambda families (V(lambda)1, V(lambda)2 and V(lambda)3) predominate in species that express mainly lambda light chains. (C) 1996 Academic Press Limited