Critical steps for computational inference of the 3'-end of novel alleles of immunoglobulin heavy chain variable genes - illustrated by an allele of IGHV3-7.

•Immunoglobulin germline gene inference is influenced by the starting database.•Inference of sequence variants at the 3′-end of IGHV is particularly complicated.•The unrecognized gene IGHV3-7*02 A318G allele can be computationally inferred.•The 3′-end of any inferred IG germline gene allele must be thoroughly validated.