title: Syrian hamsters express diverse MHC class I gene products.
abstract: MHC class I glycoproteins are highly diverse in most species. The Syrian hamster has long been thought to express monomorphic MHC class I molecules and thus be an exception to this rule. Here we show that Syrian hamsters express diverse MHC class I gene products. The nucleotide sequences of the alpha 1 and alpha-2 domains of classical Syrian hamster MHC class I molecules are highly variable and show evidence of having been under selective pressures at their Ag recognition sites. Interestingly, none of the Syrian hamster class I genes was closely related to their counterparts in the mouse. These observations suggest that Syrian hamsters in the wild may express diverse MHC class I molecules.
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, New England Regional Primate Research Center, Southborough, MA 01772.
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Z W
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lagos
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Shadduck
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Letvin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D006224:Cricetinae; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000032:analysis*; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D008647:Mesocricetus / Q000276:immunology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011233:Precipitin Tests
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D004247:DNA