Premium
Evolution of MHC class I genes in higher primates
Author(s) -
LIENERT KRISTIN,
PARHAM PETER
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1996.62
Subject(s) - allele , biology , major histocompatibility complex , genetics , human leukocyte antigen , gene , gorilla , evolutionary biology , mhc class i , antigen , paleontology
Summary The classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes are conserved in higher primates. Motifs common to human, chimpanzee and gorilla alleles indicate that class I alleles diverged from ancestral sequences that existed before separation of these species. Analysis of native human populations such as Australian Aborigines and Amerindians shows that HLA‐B is characterized by rapid generation of new alleles. HLA‐A and ‐C appear to be evolving more slowly. Comparison of alleles for orthologous class I genes in humans and other primates confirms that similar mechanisms contribute to the generation of new alleles in these species.