Genomic organization of the human T-cell antigen-receptor alpha/delta locus

Two clusters of overlapping cosmid clones comprising about 100 kilobases (kb) at the human T-cell antigen-receptor alpha/delta locus were isolated from a genomic library. The structure of the germ-line V delta 1 variable gene segment was determined. V delta 1 is located 8.5 kb downstream of the V alpha 13.1 gene segment, and both V segments are arranged in the same transcriptional orientation. The V alpha 17.1 segment is located between V delta 1 and the D delta, J delta, C delta region (containing the diversity, joining, and constant gene segments). Thus, V delta and V alpha segments are interspersed along the chromosome. The germ-line organization of the D delta 2, J delta 1, and J delta 2 segments was determined. Linkage of C delta to the J alpha region was established by identification of J alpha segments within 20 kb downstream of C delta. The organization of the locus was also analyzed by field-inversion gel electrophoresis. The unrearranged V delta 1 and D delta, J delta, C delta regions are quite distant from each other, apparently separated by a minimum of 175-180 kb.