title: Gorilla major histocompatibility complex-DRB pseudogene orthologous to HLA-DRBVIII.
abstract: The HLA-DR4 haplotype consists of four DRB genes: DRB1*04, DRBVII, DRBVIII, and DRB4*01, arranged in this order on the chromosome. The DRB1 and DRB4 genes code for beta chains of the alpha beta heterodimers expressed on the cell surface and bearing the HLA-DR4 and HLA-DRw53 determinants, respectively; the DRBVII and DRBVIII are pseudogenes. We found and sequenced a gene closely related to HLA-DRBVIII in the genome of the lowland gorilla "Sylvia." We designate this gene Gogo-DRB8. The close relationship between the two genes is indicated by the overall sequence similarity, the absence of recognizable exons 1 and 2 in both genes, the presence of two Alu repeats at corresponding positions, and high sequence similarity between corresponding repeats. The comparison with an outgroup (tamarin) gene and the functional counterparts of the DRB8 gene indicate that DRB8 emerged between 18 and 26 million years ago and became inactivated at the same time as or shortly after its creation. Hence DRB8 has probably existed as a pseudogene since the divergence of apes from Old World monkeys more than 20 million years ago.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vincek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schönbach
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'hUigin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002460:Cell Line; D003360:Cosmids; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D006071:Gorilla gorilla; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059806:HLA-DR beta-Chains; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D011544:Pseudogenes; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059806:HLA-DR beta-Chains; D015804:HLA-DR4 Antigen; C072619:HLA-DRB8 antigen; D006649:Histocompatibility Antigens; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes; D004247:DNA