Immunogenetics

The loci encoding the beta chain of the pig major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigens, SLA-DR and -DQ, have been known to exhibit a remarkable degree of allelic polymorphism. Here, to understand the generation of SLA class II polymorphism, 25 SLA-DRB1 and 24 SLA-DQB genes including newly identified 12 SLA-DRB1 and 7 SLA-DQB genes obtained from miniature pigs were analyzed based on the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences. Most of the allelic diversity was attributed to the variable sequences which encode a beta1 domain consisting of a beta-pleated sheet followed by an a helix. In the beta1 domain coding region, there were four GC-rich sequences, which have been considered to involve the intra-exon sequence exchange also in other gene evolutions. The first and second GC-rich sequences were alpha-like sequences, which have been shown to be a putative recombination signal, and were stably conserved among SLA-DRB1 and DQB genes. These alpha-like sequences identified in SLA-DRB1 and SLA-DQB were found to encode the first turning point of the beta-pleated sheet and the boundary between the beta-pleated sheet and the alpha helix. Analysis of clustered sequence variation also suggested intra-exon gene conversions in which the alpha-like sequences act as putative breakpoints. In addition to point mutations and selection mechanism, intra-exon gene conversions must be an important mechanism in the generation of allelic polymorphism at the SLA-DRB1 and SLA-DQB.

Source:http://purl.uniprot.org/citations/10630293