title: KIR diversity in three ethnic minority populations in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) show extensive variation in genetic content and allelic polymorphi sms among different populations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the distribution of KIR genes in the Tibetan ethnic minority of Lhasa city, the Uyghur and Kazakh ethnic minorities of Urumqi city populations in China. Genotyping of 16 KIR genes was tested in 479 randomly selected individuals using the multiple PCR-SSP method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 42 KIR genotypes were detected, of which, 29 were predicted to be AB genotypes, 12 were BB genotypes and one was AA genotypes. 27 KIR genotypes were identified in Kazakhs, 30 KIR genotypes were identified in Uyghurs and 20 KIR genotypes were identified in Tibetans. The predominant genotype 1(AA genotypes) occurred most frequently in Tibetans (52.7%, 118/224), Kazakhs (43.2%, 54/125) and Uyghurs (34.9%, 45/130). Not only the four framework genes were present in all individuals, but the pseudogene 2DP1 could also be detected in all Uyghur individuals. Tibetans were different from Kazakh and Uyghur groups in KIR genetic content and KIR allelic variation. Intriguingly, Tibetans (29.5%, 66/224) had lower frequencies of 2DS4-v when compared with Uyghurs (60.8%, 79/130) and Kazakh s (59.2%, 74/125). Uyghurs (25.4%, 33/130) displayed higher frequencies of Bx genotypes with C4Tx (absence of KIR3DS1-2DL5-2DS5-2DS1) than both Kazakhs (11.2%, 14/125) and Tibetans (3.6%, 8/224).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed that profile of KIR genotypes in three ethnic minority populations in China displayed ethnic diversity. It could be valuable for enriching the ethnical information resources for KIR gene, as well as facilitating further research on KIR-related diseases.
authors.affiliation: Center for Stem Cell Research and Application, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS and PUMC), 26 Huacai Road, Longtan Industry Park, Chenghua District, Chengdu, 610052, China. qiongxiuzhou@163.com.
authors.forename: Qiongxiu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Center for Stem Cell Research and Application, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS and PUMC), 26 Huacai Road, Longtan Industry Park, Chenghua District, Chengdu, 610052, China. Wjue007@qq.com.
authors.forename: Jue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Urumqi Blood Center, Urumqi, China. hezhixj@sina.cn.
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Tibet Blood Center, Lhasa, China. 1846836379@qq.com.
authors.forename: Xiaojuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Sichuan Cord Blood Bank, Chengdu, China. maosong327@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Center for Stem Cell Research and Application, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS and PUMC), 26 Huacai Road, Longtan Industry Park, Chenghua District, Chengdu, 610052, China. seazer7@126.com.
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Center for Stem Cell Research and Application, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS and PUMC), 26 Huacai Road, Longtan Industry Park, Chenghua District, Chengdu, 610052, China. joyey_love@126.com.
authors.forename: Guohui
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.affiliation: Center for Stem Cell Research and Application, Institute of Blood Transfusion, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS and PUMC), 26 Huacai Road, Longtan Industry Park, Chenghua District, Chengdu, 610052, China. mafeng@hotmail.co.jp.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D002503:Centromere / Q000235:genetics; D002681:China; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000235:genetics*; D005787:Gene Frequency; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium / Q000235:genetics; D008913:Minority Groups; D010802:Phylogeny; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D054340:Receptors, KIR / Q000235:genetics*; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D054340:Receptors, KIR