Homology-directed recombination in IgH variable region genes from human neonates, infants and adults: implications for junctional diversity.

Homology-directed recombination, i.e. the preferential joining of gene segments at short sequence homologies, is found in 80% of IgH variable region genes from neonatal mice and causes a marked uniformity of their VH-DH- and DH-JH-junctions, which are predominated by one to three junctional sequences.