title: Molecular characterization and genetic mapping of class I and class II MHC genes of the domestic cat.
abstract: The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the domestic cat has been poorly characterized to date, primarily because of numerous difficulties in the preparation of allotypic sera. We present here a comparative analysis of class I and class II genes in domestic cat populations using molecular probes of the MHC from man and mouse. The cat possesses a minimum of 20 class I loci and 5 class II genes per haploid genome. Class I genes of the domestic cat expressed limited restriction fragment length polymorphism. The average percent difference of the size of DNA fragments between individual cats was 9.0%, a value five times lower than the value for mice, but comparable to the human DNA polymorphism level. Class I and class II genes were both genetically mapped to feline chromosome B2 using a panel of rodent x cat somatic cell hybrids. Since feline chromosome B2 is syntenically homologous to human chromosome 6 and mouse chromosome 17, these results affirm the linkage conservation of the MHC-containing linkage group in the three mammalian orders.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002415:Cats / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006822:Hybrid Cells; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D008322:Mammals / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D013045:Species Specificity