Abstract
A functional immune system requires a tight control over major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene transcription, as the abnormal MHC expression patterns of severe immunodeficiency and autoimmune diseases demonstrate. Although the regulation of MHC expression has been well documented in humans and mice, little is known in other species. In this study, we detail the level of polymorphism in wolf and dog MHC gene promoters. The promoter regions of the DRB, DQA and DQB locus were sequenced in 90 wolves and 90 dogs. The level of polymorphism was high in the DQB promoters, with variation found within functionally relevant regions, including binding sites for transcription factors. Clear associations between DQB promoters and exon 2 alleles were noted in wolves, indicating strong linkage disequilibrium in this region. Low levels of polymorphism were found within the DRB and DQA promoter regions. However, a variable site was identified within the T box, a TNF-α response element, of the DQA promoter. Furthermore, we identified a previously unrecognised 18-base-pair deletion within exon 1 of the DQB locus.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Ilpo Kojola, Adriano Casulli, Carles Vilá, Åke Hedhammar and Anna-Karin Sundqvist for providing samples for this study. Financial support was obtained from the Swedish and Norwegian Environmental Protection Agencies (to Hans Ellegren, Uppsala University). The experiments comply with the relevant current laws of Sweden.
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Berggren, K.T., Seddon, J.M. MHC promoter polymorphism in grey wolves and domestic dogs. Immunogenetics 57, 267–272 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-005-0776-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-005-0776-4