IGH lineages that span multiple isotypes

IGH of shared B-cell lineages were identified among 454 pyrosequenced heavy chain rearrangements from 8 subjects by clustering of near identical sequences.  Each IGH amplification included a small region of the IGHC gene that allowed the assignment of the rearrangements isotype.  Lineages that included IGH from more than a single isotype were identified.  These lineages are represented in the plot by arcs that connect a lineage member from one isotype to the other isotypes that it was associated with.

Lines are coloured to indicate the mean mutation level of the rearrangements associated with the different isotypes.  Where a 5` IGHC (with respect the the genomic order of the IGHC locus) had a lower mean mutation relative the the more 3` isotype the arc is coloured red, while a higher mean mutation  for the lineage members using the more 5` constant region gene relative to 3` isotype is indicated by the blue arcs.