Syrian hamsters express diverse MHC class I gene products.
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.
Watkins
D I
DI
Harvard Medical School, New England Regional Primate Research Center, Southborough, MA 01772.
Chen
Z W
ZW
Hughes
A L
AL
Lagos
A
A
Lewis
A M
AM
Shadduck
J A
JA
Letvin
N L
NL
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
D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D004247:DNA