title: The human natural killer gene complex is located on chromosome 12p12-p13.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cells preferentially express several type II glycoproteins of the calcium-dependent lectin superfamily. The genes coding for these molecules are clustered on the distal mouse chromosome 6 and on the rat chromosome 4 in a region designated the NK gene complex. To date, no definite evidence of the presence of a NK gene complex has been found in humans. Here we report the assignment by fluorescence in situ hybridization of the CD94 gene to human chromosome 12p12-p13, in the same region where the CD69 and NKG2A genes had been previously mapped. In addition, using a yeast artificial chromosome contig spanning this region we determined that the human CD94, NKG2A, NKG2C, NKG2E, and NKR-P1A (NKR) genes map to the short arm of chromosome 12. The distal to proximal position of these loci are: NKR- CD69 - CD94/NKG2A/NKG2C/NKG2E. These data demonstrate the existence of a human NK gene complex located within a 5.6 cM interval flanked by the genetic markers D12S397 and D12S89. The physical distance spanned by the NK gene complex in humans ranges between 0.7 and 2.4 megabases.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Biología Molecular, Hospital de la Princesa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, c/Diego de León 62, Madrid 28006, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Renedo
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arce
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carretero
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lanier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: López-Botet
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernández-Ruiz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics*; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D018244:Chromosomes, Artificial, Yeast; D002881:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 12; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D037102:Lectins / Q000235:genetics; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D055654:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D; D051381:Rats; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen / Q000235:genetics; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D037102:Lectins; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D055654:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C; D051920:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D011975:Receptors, Mitogen; D055607:Receptors, Natural Killer Cell; D000099192:CD69 Antigens; C527054:KLRC1 protein, human; C527059:KLRC2 protein, human; C527062:KLRC3 protein, human; C497869:KLRD1 protein, human; C527057:Klrc1 protein, mouse; C527060:Klrc2 protein, mouse; C527061:Klrc2 protein, rat; C527063:Klrc3 protein, mouse; C527065:Klrc3 protein, rat; C497870:Klrd1 protein, mouse; C497871:Klrd1 protein, rat