title: DNA sequence analysis of 66 kb of the human MHC class II region encoding a cluster of genes for antigen processing.
abstract: The genomic sequence of a 66,109 bp long region within the human MHC has been determined by manual and automated DNA sequencing. From cDNA mapping and sequencing data it is known that this region contains a cluster of at least four genes that are believed to be involved in antigen processing. Here, we describe the genomic organization of these genes, which comprise two proteasome-related genes (LMP2 and LMP7), thought to be involved in the proteolytic degradation of cytoplasmic antigens and two ABC transporter genes (TAP1 and TAP2), thought to be involved in pumping of the degraded peptides across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Analysis of the sequence homology and the intron/exon structures of the corresponding genes suggests that one gene pair arose by duplication from the other. Comparison of the available sequence data from other organisms shows striking conservation (70 to 84%) of this gene cluster in human, mouse and rat. The presence of several potential interferon stimulated response elements (ISREs) is in agreement with the experimentally observed up-regulation of these genes with gamma-interferon.
authors.affiliation: Imperial Cancer Research Fund, London, England.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Radley
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khurshid
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Alderton
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Trowsdale
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000941:Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D051381:Rats; D012045:Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D000941:Antigens; D004247:DNA