Recombination and mutation of class II histocompatibility genes in wild mice.
We have compared the tryptic peptide fingerprints of the A alpha, A beta, E alpha, and E beta subunits encoded by four wild-derived H-2 complexes expressing A molecules closely related to Ak. The A molecules encoded by these Ak-related mice have A alpha and A beta subunits that differ from A alpha k and A beta k by less than 10% of their tryptic peptides. Comparisons among the four wild-derived A molecules suggested that these contemporary A alpha and A beta alleles arose by sequential mutational events from common ancestor A alpha and A beta alleles. These results suggest that A alpha and A beta may co-evolve as an A beta A alpha gene duplex in wild mice. Tryptic peptide fingerprint comparisons of the E beta gene linked to these Ak-related A beta A alpha gene duplexes indicate that two encode E beta d-like subunits, whereas another encodes an E beta s-like subunit. These results strongly suggest that the A beta A alpha duplex and E beta recombine in wild mouse populations. The significantly different evolutionary patterns exhibited by the class II genes encoding A vs E molecules are discussed.
D000483:Alleles; D000828:Animal Population Groups / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000235:genetics*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D006183:H-2 Antigens / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice / Q000235:genetics*; D009154:Mutation; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D010641:Phenotype; D011995:Recombination, Genetic
D006183:H-2 Antigens; D010455:Peptides