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Orphon

An orphon is a gene identified in a chromosomal location outside the main loci.

• IG orphons are localized outside the three main loci IGH, IGK and IGL [1].
• TR orphons are localized outside the four main loci TRA, TRB, TRG and TRD [2].

An orphon is either pseudogene or ORF. It is not functional.
By extension, an orphon is an instance of the 'gene' concept of IMGT-ONTOLOGY [3].

Orphons belonging to a same group and localized on a same chromosome constitute a 'chromosomal orphon set'.

Note:
The term orphon was introduced by Childs et al. [4] to refer to "genetic elements that have lost their families". It was first applied to solitary members of histone and ribosomal gene families PMID: 6784929.

References:

[1]	Lefranc, M.-P. and Lefranc, G., The Immunoglobulin FactsBook, Academic Press, 458 pages (2001) ISBN: 012441351X.
[2]	Lefranc, M.-P. and Lefranc, G., The T cell receptor FactsBook, Academic Press, 398 pages (2001) ISBN: 0124413528.
[3]	Giudicelli, V. and Lefranc, M.-P., Bioinformatics, 15, 1047-1054 (1999) PMID: 10745995, LIGM:221
[4]	Childs, G. et al., Cell, 23, 651-663 (1981) PMID: 6784929.

See also:

• Chromosomal orphon set
• Functionality
• Gene
• Group
• IMGT-ONTOLOGY
• Locus

Created: 06/06/2001
Last updated: Wednesday, 29-Jun-2011 17:02:00 CEST
Authors: Jean-Marc Vuillemin and Marie-Paule Lefranc
Editors: Elodie Foulquier and Chantal Ginestoux
Contact: Marie-Paule Lefranc

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