Molecular Biology and Evolution, Vol 11, 239-249, Copyright © 1994 by Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution
FW Schwaiger, E Weyers, J Buitkamp, AJ Ede, A Crawford and JT Epplen
Exon 2 sequences of an expressed MHC-DRB locus from sheep were examined for
polymorphisms in both the antigen-binding regions and the adjacent intronic
mixed simple tandem repeat. Twenty-one novel exon 2 Ovar-DRB alleles were
identified. Short nucleotide motifs are extensively shared between certain
exon 2 regions of Ovar-DRB alleles. The simple repeat variations, the
number of different amino acids at usually polymorphic sites, and the
number of silent substitutions were reduced in the intraspecies analyses of
sheep DRB sequences, compared with those of cattle and goats. It was
paradoxical that the abundance of different sheep alleles was similar to
that of cattle and goats. This paradox may be explained by postulating a
relatively small number of "ancient" alleles, with the present-day Ovar-DRB
alleles being generated by reciprocal exchange of nucleotide motifs. At the
antigen-binding sites, new combinations of amino acids were maintained in
Ovar-DRB alleles by strong positive selection. In sheep--and less
pronounced in goats and cattle--the DRB alleles can be divided into two
groups. In one group, silent substitutions are increased when compared with
the other. This suggests separate evolutionary pathways for certain groups
of DRB alleles within a species. The simple repetitive sequences are also
discussed with respect to the evolution of DRB alleles.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Interdependent MHC-DRB exon-plus-intron evolution in artiodactyls
Rhur University, Bochum, Germany.
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