Molecular biology of the human and mouse MHC class III genes: phylogenetic conservation, genetics and regulation of expression.
The generation of complementary and genomic DNA clones for the human and mouse MHC class III genes has advanced the study of the organization, structure, genetics and expression of these loci. These clones have been useful in defining new polymorphic markers in each species and therefore permit a more complete genetic analysis of the complement cluster and the MHC as a whole. The coding sequences of the factor B and C4 genes are extensively conserved both within and between species, in contrast to the coding sequences of other MHC products. In human and mouse, the organization of the class III genes is similar with respect to order and position between the class II and class I regions of the MHC. However, these inter-species similarities in the organization and products of the class III genes does not extend to their regulation. In addition to complement gene expression being regulated differently between tissue sites within a species, expression is apparently regulated differently in analogous tissues between species. The considerable progress which has been made in the molecular analysis of C2, factor B and C4 using DNA clones forms the basis for the future study of the biology of the class III genes and the role of complement in inflammatory processes and in the immune system.
D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D003175:Complement C2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011415:Complement Factor B / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D051379:Mice; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic
D003175:Complement C2; D003181:Complement C4; D004247:DNA; D011415:Complement Factor B