title: Evolution of MHC class I genes in higher primates.
abstract: The classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes are conserved in higher primates. Motifs common to human, chimpanzee and gorilla alleles indicate that class I alleles diverged from ancestral sequences that existed before separation of these species. Analysis of native human populations such as Australian Aborigines and Amerindians shows that HLA-B is characterized by rapid generation of new alleles. HLA-A and -C appear to be evolving more slowly. Comparison of alleles for orthologous class I genes in humans and other primates confirms that similar mechanisms contribute to the generation of new alleles in these species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305-5400, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lienert
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parham
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D018949:Antigens, CD1 / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D006071:Gorilla gorilla; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015236:HLA-C Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D011323:Primates
chemical_list: D018949:Antigens, CD1; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D015235:HLA-B Antigens; D015236:HLA-C Antigens; D004247:DNA