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HLA-A and B polymorphisms predate the divergence of humans and chimpanzees

Nature volume 335, pages 268–271 (1988)Cite this article

Abstract

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) glycoproteins bind processed fragments of proteins and present them to the receptors of T lymphocytes1,2. The extraordinary polymorphism of class I MHC molecules in man (HLA-A, B and C) and mouse (H–2 K, D and L) poses many questions concerning their diversification and evolution. Comparison of allelic sequences within a species suggests diversity is generated by the assortment of point mutations into varied combinations by mechanisms of recombination and gene conversion3–5. We have now compared class I MHC alleles in two closely related species: humans (Homo sapiens) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Chimpanzee homologues of HLA-A, HLA-B and a non-classical gene have been identified. No features distinguishing human and chimpanzee alleles could be found. Individual HLA-A or B alleles are more closely related to individual chimpanzee alleles than to other HLA-A or B alleles. These results show that a considerable proportion of contemporary HLA-A and B polymorphism existed before divergence of the chimpanzee and human lines6,7. The stability of the polymorphism indicates that hyper-mutational mechanisms are not necessary to account for HLA-A, B and C diversity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Biology, Stanford University Medical School, Fairchild Science Building, Stanford, California, 94305, USA

    David A. Lawlor, Peter D. Ennis, Antony P. Jackson & Peter Parham

  2. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, 27710, USA

    Frances E. Ward

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  1. To whom correspondence should be addressed.

    • Peter Parham
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  1. David A. Lawlor
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  5. Peter Parham
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Lawlor, D., Ward, F., Ennis, P. et al. HLA-A and B polymorphisms predate the divergence of humans and chimpanzees. Nature 335, 268–271 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/335268a0

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