title: The DY genes of the cattle MHC: expression and comparative analysis of an unusual class II MHC gene pair.
abstract: The major histocompatibility complex of cattle (BoLA) contains the class II genes DYA and DIB which are transcribed with a dendritic cell restricted distribution. As part of the process to determine whether these genes have any functional significance, we demonstrate that they form a closely linked pair characteristic of other expressed class II MHC molecules. Accepted nomenclature convention suggests that BoLA-DIB should therefore be renamed BoLA-DYB. Analysis of the first full-length DYA and DYB transcripts revealed open reading frames with potential to translate 253 and 259 amino acid proteins, respectively. Comparative sequence analysis between the DY polypeptides and classical cattle, human and mouse class II MHC alpha and beta polypeptide chains revealed 16 unique amino acid residues at positions predicted to form and line the putative peptide-binding region. Expression of tagged constructs demonstrates for the first time that the DY genes of cattle are capable of translating distinctive class II MHC alpha and beta polypeptide chains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK. k.ballingall@ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: Keith T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Ballingall
authors.forename: Shirley A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Niall D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: MacHugh
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Archibald
authors.forename: Declan J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: McKeever
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D002417:Cattle; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D008040:Genetic Linkage; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: C088543:BoLA-DYA protein, Bos indicus; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II