The V-J-Intergenic Region of the HumanϰLocus

Abstract
The 23-kb region between the V.vkappa. and J.vkappa. gene clusters was investigated in some detail. The region was found to be free of V.vkappa. genes or V.vkappa. gene-like structures, confirming the previous supposition that the V.vkappa. gene B3 is the J.vkappa. proximal V.vkappa. gene. The B3-J.vkappa. distance of 23 kb was found to be the same in the DNAs of several individuals. A HindIII restriction fragment length polymorphism was detected within this region. A sequence of 533 bp located approximately in the middle of the region has a highly homologous counterpart (called homox) on another chromosome. The two sequences are 96% identical. Possible mechanisms for the generation of such a duplicate are discussed.