A BAC Contig Map of the Ly49 Gene Cluster in 129 Mice Reveals Extensive Differences in Gene Content Relative to C57BL/6 Mice

• Published in: Genomics (San Diego, Calif.) Calif.), 2002-03, Vol.79 (3), p.437-444
• Main Authors: Makrigiannis, Andrew P, Pau, Amanda T, Schwartzberg, Pamela L, McVicar, Daniel W, Beck, Thomas W, Anderson, Stephen K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antigens, Ly; Biological and medical sciences; Chromosome Mapping; Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial - genetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes. Genome; KIR gene; Lectins, C-Type; Ly49 gene; Membrane Glycoproteins - genetics; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; Multigene Family; NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily A; Receptors, NK Cell Lectin-Like; Species Specificity
• ISSN: 0888-7543; 1089-8646
• DOI: 10.1006/geno.2002.6724

The murine Ly49 gene family is functionally analogous to the human killer cell Ig-like receptor (KIR) family of class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) receptors. The number of KIR genes varies dramatically between individuals; however, the organization of the Ly49 genes has only been determined for the C57BL/6 (B6) mouse. The organization of the 129 Ly49 loci was determined from a BAC contig map by PCR and Southern blot analysis. In addition to the 10 Ly49 genes known from previous studies of the 129/J strain, 8 new genes were localized to the 129 Ly49 cluster. A gene order of Ly49q1, e, (v, q2), e/c2, l/r, s, t, e/c1, r, u, u/i, i1, g, p/d, (i2, p), and o was determined. The 129 Ly49 gene cluster is predicted to span ∼600 kb. These results indicate that Ly49 gene numbers can be significantly different between inbred mouse strains, analogous to the haplotype differences observed in the human KIR genes.