title: Gene conversion of the major histocompatibility complex class I Caja-G in common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus).
abstract: Currently, the amount of sequenced and classified MHC class I genes of the common marmoset is limited, in spite of the wide use of this species as an animal model for biomedical research. In this study, 480 clones of MHC class I G locus (Caja-G) cDNA sequences were obtained from 21 common marmosets. Up to 10 different alleles were detected in each common marmoset, leading to the assumption that the Caja-G loci duplicated in the marmoset genome. In the investigated population, four alleles occurred more often, giving evidence for higher immunological advantage of these alleles. In contrast to the human non-classical MHC class I genes, Caja-G shows high rates of polymorphism at the relevant peptide-binding sites, despite its phylogenetic relationship to the non-classical HLA-G. Our results provide information for better understanding of the immunological properties of the common marmoset and confirm the theory of a gene conversion of the Caja-G due to its detected plasticity and the absence of any known HLA-A equivalent.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Anna-Lena
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Neehus
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Regenerative Biology, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wistuba
authors.affiliation: Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Nektarios
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ladas
authors.affiliation: Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Eiz-Vesper
authors.affiliation: Institute of Reproductive and Regenerative Biology, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, University Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schlatt
authors.affiliation: Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. thomas.mueller@synlab.com.|Synlab Medical Care Centre Weiden Ltd, Weiden, Germany. thomas.mueller@synlab.com.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D002144:Callithrix / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005785:Gene Conversion; D020440:Gene Duplication; D059951:HLA-G Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
keywords: Caja-G; common marmoset; major histocompatibility complex; new world primate