MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX CLASS-II DQ DIVERSITY IN RHESUS MACAQUES

By the use of restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis 10 Taq I fragments could be identified for the MhcMamu-DQA1 region. A strong correlation exists between the occurrence of Mamu-DQA1/Taq I fragment s and Mamu-DAQ1 allelic sequence variation. Most restriction fragments correspond with a unique Mamu-DQA1 allele, with one exception being t he Taq I 4.5 kb fragment that is associated with two Mamu-DQA1 alleles . The RFLP technique allowed the identification of 15 Mamu-DQB1/Taq I restriction fragments, whereas sequence analysis has permitted the cha racterization of at least 20 different Mamu-DQB1 alleles. In this comm unication two unpublished Mamu-DQB1 sequences are described. For Mamu- DQB1, on only four occasions was it possible to demonstrate a correlat ion between a certain fragment and an allelic sequence. These analyses , performed on material from truly homozygous animals, allowed us to d efine which combinations of Mamu-DQA1 and - DQB1 molecules form hetero dimers at the cell surface. In addition, these studies are helpful in typing non-human primate species that are used in biomedical research.