def _get_v_gene_attrs(adapt):
    """
    Returns v-gene attributes: Allele and Gene Name.

    Parameters
    ----------
    adapt : collections.namedtuple
        instance of named tuple of fields expected in an adaptive file

    Returns
    -------
    v_b_gene : str
        gene at highest possible level of resolution, including allele if available
    vb_countreps : str
        the count representative used is the gene level, ignoring allele.
    """
    if adapt.vGeneName is not "":
        v_b_gene     = adapt.vMaxResolved
        vb_countreps = adapt.vGeneName
    # if no unique vGeneName was assigned, check ties, and take the first
    # Adaptive output sorts them in ascending order (i.e. TCRBV06-01,TCRBV06-05,TCRBV06-06)
    elif adapt.vGeneNameTies is not "":
        v_b_gene = adapt.vGeneNameTies.split(",")[0]
        vb_countreps   = adapt.vGeneNameTies.split(",")[0]
    else:
        v_b_gene = None
        vb_countreps = None
    return (v_b_gene, vb_countreps)