Immunoglobulin constant kappa gene alleles in twelve strains of mice

Genomic DNA for the immunoglobulin (Ig) constant kappa Igk-C gene region was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method and sequenced from twelve commonly used inbred mouse strains. PCR products were used directly as templates in dideoxy-DNA-sequencing, a method which avoids the sequencing errors caused by Taq polymerase, since no cloning step is required. In restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) studies the SJL mouse strain has been shown to belong to a Igk-C allogroup different from other common inbred mouse strains. The BALB/c Igk-C region was sequenced earlier, but our Igk-C sequences clarify the situation and confirm the existence of three Igk-C alleles in inbred mice (Mus musculus domesticus). Mice belonging to the kappa (Igk) haplotype e (SJL) have allele c of the Igk-C gene. The strains belonging to the kappa haplotype [a albino strain, K subline (AKR), PL and d (C58)] have allele a, and all other eight strains belonging to three different Igk haplotypes (b, c, and f) use allele b of the gene. Allele b has at least one (possibly two) nucleotide differences from allele a in the Igk-C region, but five compared to allele c. The allelic sequences also predict two allotypic kappa polypeptide chains among twelve inbred strains. Alleles a and b encode identical polypeptides, but allele c (SJL) has a conserved lysine to arginine substitution in residue 142.