title: HLA-DR and -DQ DNA polymorphisms: new linkage relationships established by RFLP genomic typing in Polynesians and Melanesians.
abstract: Class II restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) of DR beta, DQ beta, and DQ alpha loci were examined in Polynesians of the southwest Pacific and in non-Austronesian-speaking Melanesians from the Papua New Guinean Highlands. Polynesians, previously considered to have a restricted set of HLA-DR antigens, showed class II gene heterogeneity associated with DR2, DR5, DRw6, and DRw8 RFLPs. Furthermore, Melanesians and Polynesians share certain antigens such as DRw6 and DRw8, but the DR beta 2 genes associated with DRw6 and the DQ genes associated with DRw8 are population-specific and show little or no overlap. This study has shown that genetic analysis of closely linked polymorphic genes is a powerful anthropological tool and supports the view that Polynesians represent an independent colonizing group in the Pacific, rather than a group evolved from within Melanesia.
mesh_terms: D044383:Black People; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010219:Papua New Guinea; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011114:Polynesia; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D006683:HLA-DQ Antigens; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens