Inactivation of the H-2Klk gene could involve the substitutions of methylated CpGs.
By the isolation of overlapping cosmid clones and 'chromosome walking' studies from the H-2Kk gene, we have obtained cosmid clones encoding the H-2Klk gene from two separate cosmid libraries. The nucleotide sequence of one of the clones was determined. The cloned H-2Klk gene could be transcribed in vitro to give a normal H-2 class I mRNA of 1.7 kb. However, the deletion of four nucleotides in exon 3 of the H-2Klk gene results in a translation termination codon at the beginning of exon 4. In agreement with this, when expressed in human cells, the H-2Klk gene gave a truncated, cytoplasmic polypeptide of Mr 36,000. Therefore, although the H-2Klk gene is homologous to other class I MHC genes in its molecular organization and nucleotide sequence, it is a pseudogene. When compared to the nucleotide sequence of the H-2Kk gene, the H-2Klk gene has undergone many substitutions of methylated CpG residues (meCpG). This represents further evidence to suggest that this gene is inactive.
Sim
B C
BC
Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, National University of Singapore.
Grosveld
F G
FG
Hui
K M
KM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D016386:Chromosome Walking; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003360:Cosmids; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D008745:Methylation; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation
D006183:H-2 Antigens