Abstract The lack of covalently associated L chains features H chain disease proteins produced in some human B cell lymphoproliferative disorders. We cloned and characterized the single rearranged kappa L chain gene from the leukemic lymphocytes of a patient (RIV) affected with gamma 1 H chain disease, to determine the molecular basis for absent L chain. This kappa allele had undergone an effective V-J rearrangement. Extensive somatic mutation focused about the V-J region created a sequence that was only 75% homologous to its germ-line counterpart. Altered acceptor (V kappa) and donor (J kappa) splice sites resulted in an aberrant splice between the leader and C kappa exons and a truncated 850-bp kappa mRNA. RIV leukemic cells as well as myeloma cells transfected with the RIV kappa gene synthesized a truncated protein. Simultaneous defects in H and L chains genes may reflect a hypermutational mechanism for Ig genes in B cells.