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Title: Both man & bird & beast: Comparative organization of MHC genes

Abstract

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is the center of the immune universe. Genes in the MHC determine which antigens are processed and presented. Not surprisingly, the MHC contributes the major genetic component to important autoimmune diseases and will no doubt, although evidence is limited, contribute to resistance to infectious disorders. Vertebrates all seem to have MHC genes and it should be possible to determine, within the next few years, whether the clustering of antigen processing and presenting genes in this region is a conserved feature. One could imagine an evolutionary advantage to maintaining the MHC as a unit, either to coordinate expression of the genes in different tissues, or to coordinate T-cell selection during thymic ontogeny, since inheriting a linked set of polymorphic gene products may help to avoid conflicts during positive and negative selection. 153 refs., 9 figs., 3 tabs.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Holborn, London (United Kingdom)
Publication Date:
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
75571
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Immunogenetics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 41; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: PBD: Jan 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE, BASIC STUDIES; HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX; GENES; STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS; MAMMALS; IMMUNITY; HUMAN CHROMOSOMES; GENE REGULATION; GENE RECOMBINATION; GENETIC MAPPING; ELECTROPHORESIS; ANTIGENS

Citation Formats

Trowsdale, J. Both man & bird & beast: Comparative organization of MHC genes. United States: N. p., 1995. Web. doi:10.1007/BF00188427.
Trowsdale, J. Both man & bird & beast: Comparative organization of MHC genes. United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00188427
Trowsdale, J. 1995. "Both man & bird & beast: Comparative organization of MHC genes". United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00188427.
@article{osti_75571,
title = {Both man & bird & beast: Comparative organization of MHC genes},
author = {Trowsdale, J},
abstractNote = {The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is the center of the immune universe. Genes in the MHC determine which antigens are processed and presented. Not surprisingly, the MHC contributes the major genetic component to important autoimmune diseases and will no doubt, although evidence is limited, contribute to resistance to infectious disorders. Vertebrates all seem to have MHC genes and it should be possible to determine, within the next few years, whether the clustering of antigen processing and presenting genes in this region is a conserved feature. One could imagine an evolutionary advantage to maintaining the MHC as a unit, either to coordinate expression of the genes in different tissues, or to coordinate T-cell selection during thymic ontogeny, since inheriting a linked set of polymorphic gene products may help to avoid conflicts during positive and negative selection. 153 refs., 9 figs., 3 tabs.},
doi = {10.1007/BF00188427},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/75571}, journal = {Immunogenetics},
number = 1,
volume = 41,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1995}
}