Evolutionary dynamics of non-coding sequences within the class II region of the human MHC.
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Beck S, Abdulla S, Alderton RP, Glynne RJ, Gut IG, Hosking LK, Jackson A, Kelly A, Newell WR, Sanseau P, Radley E, Thorpe KL, Trowsdale J
Evolutionary dynamics of non-coding sequences within the class II region of the human MHC.
J Mol Biol. 1996 Jan 12;255(1):1-13.
- PubMed ID
- 8568858 [ View in PubMed]
- Abstract
About 40% (350 kb) of the human MHC class II region has been sequenced and a coordinated effort to sequence the entire MHC is underway. In addition to the coding information (22 genes/pseudogenes), the non-coding sequences reveal novel information on the organisation and evolution of the MHC as demonstrated here by the example of a 200 kb contig that has been analysed for local and global features. In conjunction with cross-species comparisons, our results present new evidence on the structure of isochores, the evolutionary dynamics of repeat-mediated recombination and its effect on certain MHC encoded genes, and a higher than average degree of natural polymorphism that has implications for sequencing the human genome. We also report the finding of a class I-related pseudogene (HLA-ZI) in the middle of the class II region, which provides the first direct evidence for DNA exchange between these two related regions in man.