A new cluster of genes within the human major histocompatibility complex.
A 435-kilobase (kb) DNA segment, which is centromeric to HLA-B in the human major histocompatibility complex, was isolated by chromosome walking with overlapping cosmids. Within the cloned region, the genes for the tumor necrosis factors (TNFs) alpha and beta and HLA-B were 210 kb apart. The human homolog of a mouse gene, B144, was located next to TNF alpha. Moreover, the presence of additional genes was suggested by a large cluster of CpG islands. With cosmid probes, several distinct transcripts were detected in RNA samples from a variety of cell lines. Altogether, five novel genes were identified by isolation of corresponding complementary DNA clones. These "HLA-B-associated transcripts" (BATs) were mapped to different locations within a 160-kb region that includes the genes for TNF alpha and TNF beta. The presence of the genes for BAT1 and BAT5 in the vicinity of HLA-B again raises the question of which gene in this region determines susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis.
Spies
T
T
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.
Blanck
G
G
Bresnahan
M
M
Sands
J
J
Strominger
J L
JL
D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003360:Cosmids; D005796:Genes; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D051379:Mice; D005810:Multigene Family; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics
D015235:HLA-B Antigens; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha