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  • Title: Reactivation by exon shuffling of a conserved HLA-DR3-like pseudogene segment in a New World primate species.
    Author: Doxiadis GG, van der Wiel MK, Brok HP, de Groot NG, Otting N, 't Hart BA, van Rood JJ, Bontrop RE.
    Journal: Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A; 2006 Apr 11; 103(15):5864-8. PubMed ID: 16581907.
    Abstract:
    The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a New World monkey species with a limited MHC class II repertoire, is highly susceptible to certain bacterial infections. Genomic analysis of exon 2 sequences documented the existence of only one DRB region configuration harboring three loci. Two of these loci display moderate levels of allelic polymorphism, whereas the -DRB*W12 gene appears to be monomorphic. This study shows that only the Caja-DRB*W16 and -DRB*W12 loci produce functional transcripts. The Caja-DRB1*03 locus is occupied by a pseudogene, given that most of the transcripts, if detected at all, show imperfections and are present at low levels. Moreover, two hybrid transcripts were identified that feature the evolutionarily conserved peptide-binding motif characteristic for the Caja-DRB1*03 gene. Thus, the severely reduced MHC class II repertoire in common marmosets has been expanded by reactivation of a pseudogene segment as a result of exon shuffling.
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