title: The gene conversion hypothesis of MHC evolution: a review.
abstract: Gene conversion is often invoked to explain the evolution of sequence patterns observed in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes and their alleles. This is the gene conversion hypothesis of MHC sequence evolution. These observations and their interpretation probably belong in a larger theoretical framework, namely the evolution of systems of resistance to rapidly evolving pathogens. This review looks critically at the evidence in favor of the gene conversion hypothesis in this context. We conclude that the case for the existence of an adaptive mechanism in the MHC favoring gene conversion mutations is not proven.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Genetics, University of Cologne, Zülpicher Strasse 47, D-50674 Cologne, Germany. jann.martinsohn@uni-koeln.de
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Martinsohn
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Guethlein
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Howard
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005785:Gene Conversion; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid