The evolutionary history of IGKC in mammals reveals ancient duplications and remarkable divergence in lagomorphs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Immunoglobulin Kappa Constant (IGKC) gene encodes the constant region of the immunoglobulin kappa light chain, a crucial component of antibodies. Despite its important biological role, the genetic information for this gene remains scarce, with data for only 16 mammal species (as of July 2025) fully characterized in the International ImMunoGeneTics information system (IMGT) database.

Results

Using genomic sequences from NCBI and Ensembl, we expanded this to 124 IGKC sequences across 104 mammals, including two monotremes, eight marsupials, and 94 placentals. We uncovered unusual evolutionary dynamics in lagomorphs, showing independent IGKC duplications in Ochotonidae and Leporidae, giving rise to rabbit IGKC1 and IGKC

SUBMITTER: Pinheiro A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12568662 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature