Cloning of immunoglobulin chromosomal translocations by long-distance inverse polymerase chain reaction.

Many subtypes of B-cell malignancy are characterized by chromosomal translocations that target the immunoglobulin loci. Molecular cloning of such translocations continues to allow the identification of genes whose deregulated expression plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of B-cell malignancy. The clustering of breakpoints within the immunoglobulin loci has allowed the development of rapid and robust polymerase chain reaction methods for cloning. We discuss in this chapter the use of long-distance inverse polymerase chain reaction methods to clone immunoglobulin chromosomal translocation breakpoints from clinical material. These methods have been successfully applied to several other types of chromosomal translocation including those involving other genes such as BCL6, ETV6, and MYC.