title: Molecular characterization of the major histocompatibility complex class Ia gene in the black-spotted frog, Pelophylax nigromaculata.
abstract: The genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are attractive candidates for investigating the link between adaptive variation and individual fitness. We improved rapid amplification of cDNA ends to obtain the whole coding sequence of the MHC class Ia gene of the black-spotted frog (Pelophylax nigromaculata), the most common amphibian in China. We also used genome walking to characterize the partial introns adjacent to exon 3 of the MHC Ia gene. Based on the sequences obtained, we designed locus-specific primers to investigate the molecular polymorphisms of this species in southeast China. The MHC class Ia gene showed a high level of genetic diversity, indicating that this species retains a relatively high potential for survival, despite a population decline among frog species in general and many other amphibians.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Conservation Biology for Endangered Wildlife, Ministry of Education and State Conservation Center for Gene Resources of Endangered Wildlife, and College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Zijingang Campus, 388 Yu Hang Tang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Qi-Peng
authors.initials: QP
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Sheng-Guo
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Qiu-Hong
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Wan
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000663:Amphibians / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011898:Ranidae / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods