Structure and diversity of class I antigen presenting molecules in the mouse

Abstract

Sequence comparisons among class I genes provide insight into the nature and origins of diversity in the human and mouse MHC. The profiles of diversity among alleles and between different loci indicate that genetic interactions among class I genes generate sequence diversity in both species. Humans and mice differ in the extent that sequence transfer occurs between loci. In mice, sequences encoding the antigen binding domain show little evidence of locus specificity. A series of mouse class I mutants have been analyzed, providing strong evidence that interlocus gene conversion plays a significant role in the exchange of sequences among class I genes. A similar process is suspected in human class I and both mouse and human class II genes. However, the transfer of sequence among genes in these groups appears to occur predominantly between alleles and only to a minor extent between loci.