Polymorphism of the Pa gene.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to identify the number of alleles of the Pa gene at the DNA level and to correlate the presence of the different alleles with the ability of a strain to elicit an anti-Pa antibody response when mated with a WF female. The Pa gene is present in both Pa+ and Pa- strains of rats, but it has unique restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) in the two types of strains: 1.7 kb in Pa- and 1.8 kb in Pa+XbaI digests using a probe derived from the Pa gene.


RESULTS
Examination of DNA from a variety of strains using different enzymes showed that there were characteristic RFLP patterns for Pa+ and Pa- strains. Strains of the b haplotype, however, had an intermediate RFLP pattern, and all of these strains had a relatively low level of reactivity with anti-Pa antibody.


CONCLUSIONS
Thus, there are three alleles of the Pa gene based on their level of expression: Paa, high; Pab, low; and Pa-, none.
Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pennsylvania 15261.
A G
AG
Vishteh
H W
HW
Kunz
A L
AL
Cortese Hassett
T J
TJ
Gill
D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015723:Gene Library; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D051381:Rats; D011920:Rats, Inbred WF
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; C025625:pregnancy-specific antigen, sheep; D004247:DNA