diff --git a/src/alignment.r b/src/alignment.r
index 63b161a..3b0aab9 100644
--- a/src/alignment.r
+++ b/src/alignment.r
@@ -11,6 +11,13 @@ parse_data <- function(file) {
   return(list(sequences, vj_segments))
 }
 
+parse_metadata <- function(metadata) {
+  id_elements <- unlist(strsplit(metadata, split = " "))
+  v_identifier <- id_elements[2]
+  j_identifier <- id_elements[3]
+  return(list(v_id = v_identifier, j_id = j_identifier))
+}
+
 match_id_sequence <- function(names, vdj_segments, id) {
   matches <- grep(names, pattern = id)
   row <- matches[1]
@@ -18,12 +25,10 @@ match_id_sequence <- function(names, vdj_segments, id) {
 }
 
 get_vj_sequence <- function(metadata, names, vdj_segments) {
-  id_elements <- unlist(strsplit(metadata, split = " "))
-  v_identifier <- id_elements[2]
-  j_identifier <- id_elements[3]
-  v_sequence <- match_id_sequence(names, vdj_segments, id = v_identifier)
-  j_sequence <- match_id_sequence(names, vdj_segments, id = j_identifier)
-  return(c(v_sequence, j_sequence))
+  identifiers <- parse_metadata(metadata)
+  v_sequence <- match_id_sequence(names, vdj_segments, id = identifiers["v_id"])
+  j_sequence <- match_id_sequence(names, vdj_segments, id = identifiers["j_id"])
+  return(list(v_seq = v_sequence, j_seq = j_sequence))
 }
 
 fetch_vj_sequences <- function(sequences, vdj_segments) {