The UT family of MHC class I loci unique to non-eutherian mammals has limited polymorphism and tissue specific patterns of expression in the opossum.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I family of genes encode for molecules that have well-conserved structures, but have evolved to perform diverse functions. The availability of the gray, short-tailed opossum, Monodelphis domestica whole genome sequence has allowed for analysis of MHC class I gene content in this marsupial. Utilization of a novel method to search for MHC related domain structures revealed a previously unknown family of MHC class I-related genes. These genes, named UT1-17, are clustered on chromosome 1 in the opossum, unlinked to the MHC region. UT genes are only found in marsupial and monotreme genomes, consistent with being ancient in mammals yet lost in eutherian mammals. This study investigates the expression and polymorphism of the UT l

SUBMITTER: Krasnec KV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5101759 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature