title: Evidence for convergent evolution of A and B blood group antigens in primates.
abstract: To determine whether convergent or trans-specific evolution is responsible for the persistence of the ABO polymorphism in apes, we have sequenced segments of introns 5 and 6 of the ABO gene. Four substitutions and one insertion or deletion group human A, B, and O alleles together, separate from their chimpanzee A and gorilla B counterparts. No shared substitutions support a trans-species mode of evolution for any of the alleles examined. We conclude that the A and B antigens of the chimpanzee and gorilla, respectively, have arisen by convergent evolution. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the human A and B alleles are ancient, having diverged at least 3 million years ago. These alleles must have therefore been trans-specifically inherited within the genus Homo.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Biologie, Abteilung Immungenetik, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'hUigin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klein
mesh_terms: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006071:Gorilla gorilla; D015186:Hominidae; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011323:Primates / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
chemical_list: D000017:ABO Blood-Group System