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A molecular map of the chicken major histocompatibility complex: the class II beta genes are closely linked to the class I genes and the nucleolar organizer.
Author(s) -
Guillemot F.,
Billault A.,
Pourquié O.,
Béhar G.,
Chaussé A. M.,
Zoorob R.,
Kreibich G.,
Auffray C.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb03132.x
Subject(s) - cosmid , biology , genetics , gene , complementary dna , major histocompatibility complex , microbiology and biotechnology
We have cloned in a cosmid vector four DNA clusters covering 320 kb of the chicken MHC (B complex), including five class II (B‐L) beta genes defining two related isotypic families. Additional B complex genes have been revealed using tissue‐specific cDNA probes. A cosmid fragment has been used to isolate a cDNA for a class I (B‐F) transcript. This transcript, that is by far the most divergent known member of the class I gene family, hybridized to six B‐F genes present in the cosmids. One of the clusters was shown to contain two rRNA transcriptional units from the nucleolar organizer region (NOR), marking the telomeric boundary of the B complex. None of the other B complex genes hybridizes to, or has the transcriptional characteristics of mammalian MHC class II alpha or class III genes. The map we have obtained shows that the B complex does not contain well defined class I and class II regions since B‐F and B‐L beta genes are closely associated with unrelated genes. Moreover, class II beta genes are very closely linked to class I genes in two clusters, and to the NOR in a third one.