title: Polymorphism of the HLA-DRB1 locus in Colombian, Ecuadorian, and Chilean Amerinds.
abstract: We have characterized the DRB1 genotypes in a sample of 64 South American Indians drawn from populations in Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador. No novel DRB1 alleles were found in the total of 17 different alleles characterized, indicating that rapid allelic generation does not occur at the DRB1 loci, in contrast to HLA-B. Comparison between Chilean and Colombian/Ecuadorian samples revealed no major differences in their allelic frequencies. In the combined Amerind sample the HLA-DRB1*0407 and HLA-DRB1*1402 alleles occurred in the highest frequencies (38% and 22%, respectively). Genetic distance measurement showed the HLA-DRB1 frequencies reported here to agree with findings in other Amerind groups. The high frequencies of both HLA-DRB1*0407 and HLA-DRB1*1602 alleles, in conjunction with their absence in Siberian samples, suggest that migratory groups other than Siberians may have been involved in the peopling of the Americas.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Biologic, Abteilung Immungenetik, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Blagitko
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'hUigin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horai
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sonoda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics; D002677:Chile; D003105:Colombia; D004484:Ecuador; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000276:immunology; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000276:immunology*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D059811:HLA-DRB1 Chains