Subject(s)
Genes, MHC Class II , Histocompatibility Antigens Class II , Major Histocompatibility Complex , Animals , Chromosomes, Human, 13-15/immunology , Chromosomes, Human, 6-12 and X/immunology , Collodion , Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel , Genetic Code , HLA-DR Antigens , Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/genetics , Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/immunology , Humans , Mice , Paper , Polymorphism, Genetic , Recombination, GeneticABSTRACT
The DP subregion of the human major histocompatibility complex contains two closely linked gene pairs, DP alpha, DP beta and SX alpha, SX beta. The exon-intron organization and the complete DNA sequence of the SX alpha gene are reported here. There are several mutations within the SX alpha gene which strongly suggest that it is a pseudogene. These include two frameshift mutations, one in the alpha 1 domain and the other in the cytoplasmic domain. A 5' splice site mutation at the end of the alpha 1 exon also exists. DNA sequence homology between DP alpha and SX alpha suggests that these genes arose through a gene duplication event.
Subject(s)
Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/genetics , Major Histocompatibility Complex , Base Sequence , Cloning, Molecular , Genetic Linkage , HLA-DP Antigens , Humans , Mutation , Promoter Regions, Genetic , Protein Sorting Signals/genetics , Sequence Homology, Nucleic AcidABSTRACT
The DC and DX subregions of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have been cloned from a cosmid library made from a human B-cell line, Priess. The DC subregion, 48 kilobases, includes the DC alpha and DC beta genes. A second DC-like region, the DX subregion, 35 kilobases, contains the DX alpha gene and a newly found beta gene termed DX beta. Since the DC and DX genes are highly homologous in nucleotide sequence, gene size, exon-intron organization, and direction of transcription, the DC and DX subregions were presumably generated by duplication of an ancestral alpha-beta gene pair. Nucleotide sequencing indicates that all four genes have intact coding sequences and promoter regions. Homology between the upstream promoter sequences of these four genes and seven other class II genes at nucleotides -69 to -78 and -98 to -110 highlights these previously described conserved elements. Moreover, a striking conservation of flanking alpha-gene-specific and beta-gene-specific sequences has been observed. Comparison of Southern blots of Priess DNA with DC alpha and DC beta cDNA probes with isolated cosmid clones showed that (i) the human chromosome encodes only two DC alpha-related and two DC beta-related genes, namely, DC alpha, DX alpha, DC beta, and DX beta, and (ii) the DC and DX subregions are homozygous in Priess cells.
Subject(s)
Histocompatibility Antigens Class II/genetics , Major Histocompatibility Complex , Chromosome Mapping , Cloning, Molecular , Genes , Humans , Macromolecular Substances , Peptides/genetics , Promoter Regions, Genetic , Protein Sorting SignalsABSTRACT
The SB region of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) has been cloned from cosmid and lambda phage libraries made from the human B-lymphoblastoid cell line Priess (DR4/4, DC4/4, SB3/4). Two alpha genes and two beta genes are encoded in the 100 kb long SB region in the order SB alpha-SB beta-SX alpha-SX beta. The SB alpha and SB beta genes encode the alpha and beta subunits of the SB subset of class II MHC molecules. Both the SX alpha and the SX beta genes are pseudogenes in the haplotype examined. From the isolated clones, the two haplotypes of the Priess cell line, SB3 and SB4, are distinguished by nucleotide sequencing and blot hybridization analyses. Restriction site polymorphisms between the SB3 and SB4 clones were observed only in relatively small regions of the SB beta and SX beta genes. A mouse macrophage cell line was transfected with one of the cosmid clones containing both SB alpha and SB beta genes. Expression of the alpha and beta genes was detected by fluorescene-activated cell sorting (FACS) and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis using SB-specific monoclonal antibodies.