The second exon of the bovine MHC class IT DRB3 gene was amplified by polym
erase chain reaction [PCR) from DNA samples of 568 zebu Brahman cattle [Bos
indicus] from Martinique [French West Indies). Cloning of these PCR produc
ts allowed the isolation of both alleles from each animal, which were chara
cterized by the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) techniq
ue using the restriction enzymes RsaI, BstYI and HaeIII. Four new PCR-RFLP
patterns were obtained by digestion with RsaI. These patterns were named 'v
','w', 'x' and 'y' continuing the accepted nomenclature. Sequencing of each
allele allowed the identification of 18 new BoLA-DRB3 exon 2 nucleotide se
quences and their deduced amino acid sequences.