A NEW PAIR OF HLA-C ALLELES, CW-ASTERISK-12042 AND CW-ASTERISK-1203, DIFFERING AT THE KIR-RELATED DIMORPHISM OF CODONS-77-80

A previously unknown HLA-C variant of the Cw12 group was identified b y PCR-SSP from genomic DNA of cell NDS-JD. Molecular cloning and nucle otide sequence analysis permitted the characterization of the complete coding region of this new allele, Cw12042. The new variant differs f rom the recently reported Cw12041 by two silent changes at exons 2 an d 3, and from Cw1203 by coding changes at codons 77 and 80. Cw*1203 ( Ser Asn) and Cw12042 (Asn-Lys) constitute the second known example of HLA-C alleles only differing at the KIR-related dimorphism of residue s 77-80. The new allele is associated in cell NDS-JD with the haplotyp e HLA-A2403, Cw*12042, B*51, DRB1*1502, DRB5*0102, DQB1*0601, possibl y related from the evolutionary aspect to the ancestral haplotype A24 02, Cw1202, B*5201, DRB1*1502, DRB5*0102, DQB1*0601.