H. Kawata

Rapid assignment of the swine major histocompatibility complex (SLA) class I and II genotypes in Clawn miniature swine using PCR-SSP and PCR-RFLP methods

Abstract:  Background:  Inbred miniature swine with defined novel SLA haplotypes will be useful in allo‐ and xeno‐transplantation studies, which can be carried out representing variable combinations of SLA haplotypes.

Cloning of a new kinesin-related gene located at the centromeric end of the human MHC region

We previously reported the presence of a new gene (HSET) with an unknown function, in the centromeric side of the class II gene region of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC). cDNA clones corresponding to the HSET gene were isolated from a human testis cDNA library. A 2.4 kilobase transcript from the HSET gene was abundantly expressed in testis, B-cell, T-cell, and ovary cell lines but was not detected in lung or stomach. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the HSET cDNA clones revealed significant similarity to kinesin-related proteins in yeast, Drosophila, and human. Its predicted amino acid sequence contains a domain with strong sequence similarity to the ATP-binding and motor domains of a plus end-directed microtuble motor protein, kinesin, which might be involved in mitotic chromosome segregation, suggesting that the HSET gene encodes a novel kinesin-related protein.

Assignment of the SLA alleles and reproductive potential of selective breeding Duroc pig lines.

Abstract:  Background:  Pigs with defined swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) haplotypes and their detailed information are useful for transplantation and immunological studies. We developed two herds of SLA homozygous Duroc pigs with novel SLA haplotypes and characterized their reproductive potential.

Isolation and characterization of cDNA clones for Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) major histocompatibility complex (MhcCoja) class I molecules.

The chicken major histocompatibility complex [(MHC) (B complex)] includes not only the genes encoding the class I and class II antigens (B-F and B-L, respectively), but also the genes coding for the class IV (B-G) antigens, which have so far been described only in this species as well as, mouse and human (Danielle et al. 1993). Three chicken class I B-F cDNA clones from different haplotypes probably representing three different alleles in a single locus have been isolated and characterized: B-F 10 from the B 12 haplotype, B-F 19 from B 19, and B-FL 1-1 from B b~ (blank; Guillemot et al. 1988; Kaufman et al. 1992; Pharr et al. 1994). The relationship between these cDNAs and six B-F genes so far isolated by gene cloning from the chicken MHC region remains unclear (Guillemot et al. 1988)_ Domestic chicken has been until now the only bird species whose MHC had been studied in detail by molecular cloning techniques, although the class II gene has been recently cloned from the ringnecked pheasant (Wittzell et al. 1994)_ The Japanese quail (Coturnixjaponica) is a bird allied to partridge, inhabiting all of the islands of Japan. The resistant trait to Newcastle disease virus in this species is believed to be conferred by certain alleles of the quail MHC gene(s) (Takahashi et al. 1989). In order to elucidate the molecular structure of the Japanese quail MhcCoja which is

SLA-DRB1 and -DQB1 genotyping by the PCR-SSOP-Luminex method.

A simple and novel genotyping method was developed to detect alleles at the swine leukocyte antigen (SLA)-DRB1 and -DQB1 class II loci by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-fluorescently labeled sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOPs) and Luminex 100 xMAP detection. The PCR-SSOP-Luminex method exhibited accuracy of 95% for both SLA-DRB1 and -DQB1 in 6 homozygous and 16 heterozygous pig samples as confirmed by sequencing the PCR products of the same samples. In addition, 12 low-resolution SLA class II haplotypes consisting of 7 and 9 DRB1 and DQB1 alleles were identified, respectively, in one population of 283 Landrace pigs. This genotyping method facilitates the rapid and accurate identification of two- or four-digit alleles at the SLA-DRB1 and -DQB1 loci.