title: Localization of eight additional genes in the human major histocompatibility complex, including the gene encoding the casein kinase II beta subunit (CSNK2B).
abstract: A wide range of autoimmune and other diseases are known to be associated with the major histocompatibility complex. Many of these diseases are linked to the genes encoding the polymorphic histocompatibility antigens in the class I and class II regions, but some appear to be more strongly associated with genes in the central 1100-kb class III region, making it important to characterize this region fully for the presence of novel genes. An approximately 220-kb segment of DNA in the class III region separating the Hsp70 (HSPA1L) and BAT1 (D6S8IE) genes, which was previously known to contain 14 genes, has been analyzed for the presence of additional genes. Genomic DNA fragments spanning the gaps between the known genes were used as probes to isolate cDNAs corresponding to five new genes within this region. Evidence from Northern blot analysis and exon trapping experiments that suggested the presence of at least two more new genes was also obtained. Partial cDNA and complete exonic genomic sequencing of one of the new genes has identified it as the casein kinase II beta subunit (CSNK2B). Two of the other novel genes lie within a region syntenic to that implicated in susceptibility to experimental allergic orchitis in the mouse, an autoimmune disease of the testis, and represent additional candidates for the Orch-1 locus associated with this disease. In addition, characterization of the 13-kb intergenic gap separating the RD (D6545) and G11 (D6S60E) genes has revealed the presence of a gene encoding a 1246-amino-acid polypeptide that shows significant sequence similarity to the yeast anti-viral Ski2p gene product.
authors.affiliation: MRC Immunochemistry Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Oxford University, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Albertella
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Olavesen
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D047390:Casein Kinase II; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009920:Orchitis / Q000235:genetics; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D047390:Casein Kinase II; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases