Unambiguous high resolution genotyping of human leukocyte antigens.

We have developed a high resolution sequencing based typing method for genotyping Human Leukocyte Antigens (HLA) over a period of twenty years. The methods are based upon the separation of HLA alleles per locus at the initial amplification to simplify the analysis post-sequencing. The increasing discovery of polymorphism in HLA, manifested in new alleles, has necessitated the continuing development of this method. Here we present methods for the high resolution Sequence Based Typing of HLA-A, B, C (class I) and HLA-DQB1 and DRB1 (class II). The purpose of this article is to provide a valuable resource of methods and primers for other laboratories engaged in HLA typing.