Molecular Biology and Evolution, Vol 9, 599-609, Copyright © 1992 by Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution
LK Gaur, AL Hughes, ER Heise and J Gutknecht
To understand the evolution of the class II major histocompatibility
complex (MHC) DQB1 locus in primates, the second exons of seven DQB1
alleles from five non-human primate species were amplified by polymerase
chain reaction. Comparisons of these and other primate sequences show that
no between-species diversity is greater than within- species diversity,
suggesting maintenance of DQB1 alleles through the history of Old-World
primates. There is a preponderance of nonsynonymous nucleotide
substitutions at antigen-binding-site codons; this pattern is in marked
contrast to what is seen at the closely related, presumably nonfunctional
DQB2 gene. The results support the hypothesis that DQB1 polymorphism is
maintained by overdominant selection relating to antigen presentation.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Maintenance of DQB1 polymorphisms in primates
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Bowman Gray School of Medicine.
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