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Cattle MHC nomenclature: is it possible to assign sequences to discrete class I genes?

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Abstract

The cattle major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region contains a variable number of classical class I genes encoding polymorphic molecules involved in antigen presentation. Six classical class I genes have been described, but assigning sequences to these genes has proved problematic. We propose a refinement of the existing nomenclature, which currently names the 97 known classical class I sequences in a single series. Phylogenetic analysis of the 3′ portion of the coding region allows segregation of these into six groups; thus, we have prefixed existing names with the appropriate number. Although it is clear that some of these groups correspond to discrete genes, it is currently not possible to state definitively that all do. However, the main groupings are consistent, and in conjunction with other evidence, we feel it is now appropriate to rename the sequences accordingly. Segregation of sequences into groups in this way will facilitate ongoing research and future use of the cattle MHC section of the Immuno Polymorphism Database.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank all researchers who have submitted sequence data to the cattle section of IPD-MHC. In addition, we acknowledge input over many years from the ISAG BoLA Nomenclature Committee (represented in the authorship of this paper). A proportion of the work contributing to this publication has been supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, UK (BBSRC) including grant (BBS/E/I/00001410).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Livestock Viral Diseases Programme, Institute for Animal Health, Compton, RG20 7NN, UK

    John A. Hammond & Shirley A. Ellis

  2. Anthony Nolan Research Institute, Royal Free Hospital, Pond Street, London, NW3 2QG, UK

    Steven G. E. Marsh & James Robinson

  3. Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK

    Michael J. Stear

  4. Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences School of Veterinary Medicine, Utah State University, 4700 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84322-4700, USA

    Christopher J. Davies

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  1. John A. Hammond
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  2. Steven G. E. Marsh
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  3. James Robinson
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  4. Christopher J. Davies
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  5. Michael J. Stear
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  6. Shirley A. Ellis
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Correspondence to John A. Hammond.

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Hammond, J.A., Marsh, S.G.E., Robinson, J. et al. Cattle MHC nomenclature: is it possible to assign sequences to discrete class I genes?. Immunogenetics 64, 475–480 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-012-0611-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-012-0611-7

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