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Allelic diversity is generated by intraexon sequence exchange at the DRB1 locus of primates.

ABSTRACT: The loci encoding the class II cell surface antigens HLA-DR, -DQ, and -DP exhibit a remarkable degree of allelic polymorphism. Most of the class II allelic diversity is localized to the second exon, which encodes a beta-pleated sheet followed by an alpha-helical domain. Here, phylogenetic analysis of 39 human DRB1 alleles and 21 DRB1 alleles obtained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification from a set of closely related primates reveals that sequences encoding the beta-pleated sheet and those encoding the alpha-helix of the second domain have different evolutionary histories. The polymorphisms in the beta-pleated sheet have been conserved between species and appear to reflect the ancestral relationships among haplotypes, whereas polymorphic segments encoding the alpha-helical domain appear to have been inserted by interallelic sequence exchange into the framework of different ancestral DRB1 sequences. Allelic polymorphism at the DRB1 locus may thus have been generated in part by combining different variants of the two structural domains.

SUBMITTER: Gyllensten UB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC51517 | biostudies-other | 1991 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Allelic diversity is generated by intraexon sequence exchange at the DRB1 locus of primates.

Gyllensten U B UB Sundvall M M Erlich H A HA

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 19910501 9

The loci encoding the class II cell surface antigens HLA-DR, -DQ, and -DP exhibit a remarkable degree of allelic polymorphism. Most of the class II allelic diversity is localized to the second exon, which encodes a beta-pleated sheet followed by an alpha-helical domain. Here, phylogenetic analysis of 39 human DRB1 alleles and 21 DRB1 alleles obtained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification from a set of closely related primates reveals that sequences encoding the beta-pleated sheet and ...[more]

PMID: 2023919

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Project description:BackgroundDiversity among human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules has been maintained by host-pathogen coevolution over a long period of time. Reflecting this diversity, the HLA loci are the most polymorphic in the human genome. One characteristic of HLA diversity is long-term persistence of allelic lineages, which causes trans-species polymorphisms to be shared among closely related species. Modern humans have disseminated across the world after their exodus from Africa, while chimpanzees have remained in Africa since the speciation event between humans and chimpanzees. It is thought that modern humans have recently acquired resistance to novel pathogens outside Africa. In the present study, we investigated HLA alleles that could contribute to this local adaptation in humans and also studied the contribution of natural selection to human evolution by using molecular data.ResultsPhylogenetic analysis of HLA-DRB1 genes identified two major groups, HLA Groups A and B. Group A formed a monophyletic clade distinct from DRB1 alleles in other Catarrhini, suggesting that Group A is a human-specific allelic group. Our estimates of divergence time suggested that seven HLA-DRB1 Group A allelic lineages in humans have been maintained since before the speciation event between humans and chimpanzees, while chimpanzees possess only one DRB1 allelic lineage (Patr-DRB1*03), which is a sister group to Group A. Experimental data showed that some Group A alleles bound to peptides derived from human-specific pathogens. Of the Group A alleles, three exist at high frequencies in several local populations outside Africa.ConclusionsHLA Group A alleles are likely to have been retained in human lineages for a long period of time and have not expanded since the divergence of humans and chimpanzees. On the other hand, most orthologs of HLA Group A alleles may have been lost in the chimpanzee due to differences in selective pressures. The presence of alleles with high frequency outside of Africa suggests these HLA molecules result from the local adaptations of humans. Our study helps elucidate the mechanism by which the human adaptive immune system has coevolved with pathogens over a long period of time.

Dataset Information

Allelic diversity is generated by intraexon sequence exchange at the DRB1 locus of primates.

Publications

Allelic diversity is generated by intraexon sequence exchange at the DRB1 locus of primates.

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