Major histocompatibility complex class II DOA sequences from three Antarctic seal species verify stabilizing selection on the DO locus

• Published in: Tissue Antigens
• Main Authors: Decker, D.J., Stewart, B.S., Lehman, N.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2002
• Subjects: Antarctic; Weddell; Antarc*; Leopard Seals; Ross Seal
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1034/j.1399-0039.2002.600610.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1034%2Fj.1399-0039.2002.600610.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1034/j.1399-0039.2002.600610.x

Abstract: To provide additional support for the sequence conservation and hence the regulatory role of the MHC class II DOA locus, we obtained the nucleotide sequences of exon 2 and exon 3, along with the intervening intron, of the Ross seal, and sequences from the exon 2 region from the Weddell and leopard seals. These are the first reports of the sequences of this locus from a carnivore species. The results demonstrate strong conservation among mammals for the exon sequence and produce a gene genealogy that is consistent in topology with a species tree.