link.springer.com

Gene conversion vs point mutation in generating variability at the antigen recognition site of major histocompatibility complex loci - Journal of Molecular Evolution

  • ️Ohta, Tomoko
  • ️Tue Aug 01 1995

Abstract

In order to assess the roles of gene conversion followed by natural selection and balancing selection for point mutations in polymorphisms at major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci, DNA sequences of several mammalian taxa were analyzed. Synonymous and nonsynonymous diversities were estimated separately for the antigen recognition site (ARS) and the remaining region of class I and class II genes. In some sequence pairs, the number of nonsynonymous substitutions exceeds that of synonymous substitutions at the ARS. This result indicates that some kind of balancing selection for point mutation is operating. In other sequence pairs (particularly of bovine and of rabbit), the number of synonymous substitutions at the ARS exceeds the same number at the remaining region. This result indicates that gene conversion involving a short region followed by natural selection is important. In general, a combination of gene conversion, point mutation, natural selection and random drift is thought to have contributed to polymorphisms.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Basten CJ, Ohta T (1992) Simulation study of a multigene family, with special reference to the evolution of compensatory advantageous mutations. Genetics 132:247–252

    Google Scholar 

  • Bjorkman PJ, Saper MA, Samraoui B, Bennett WS, Strominger JL, Wiley DC (1987) Structure of the human class I histocompatibility antigen, HLA-A2. Nature 329:506–512

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown JH, Jardetzky TS, Gorga JC, Stern LJ, Urban RG, Strominger JL, Wiley DC (1993) Three-dimensional structure of the human class II histocompatibility antigen HLA-DR1. Nature 364:33–39

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fitch DHA, Bailey WJ, Tagle DA, Goodman M, Sieu L, Slightom JL (1991) Duplication of the γ-globin gene mediated by repetitive L1 LINE sequences in an early ancestor of simian primates. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:7396–7400

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hedrick PW (1994) Evolutionary genetics of the major histocompatibility complex. Am Naturalist 143:945–964

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes AL, Nei M (1988) Pattern of nucleotide substitution at major histocompatibility complex class I loci reveals overdominant selection. Nature 335:167–170

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hughes AL, Nei M (1989) Nucleotide substitution at major histocompatibility complex class I1 loci: evidence for overdominant selection. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 86:958–962

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ina Y (1992) ODEN. National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan

    Google Scholar 

  • Ina Y (1995) New methods for estimating the numbers of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions. J Mol Evol 40:190–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Ina Y, Gojobori T (1994) Statistical analysis of nucleotide sequences of the hemagglutinin gene of human influenza A viruses. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 91:8388–8392

    Google Scholar 

  • Irwin DM, Wilson AC (1990) Concerted evolution of ruminant stomach lysozymes. J Biol Chem 265:4944–4952

    Google Scholar 

  • Kappes D, Strominger JL (1988) Human class 11 major histocompatibility complex genes and proteins. Annu Rev Biochem 57:991–1028

    Google Scholar 

  • Kimura M (1980) A simple method for estimating evolutionary rate of base substitutions through comparative studies of nucleotide sequences. J Mol Evol 16:111–120

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lawlor DA, Zemmour J, Ennis PD, Parham P (1990) Evolution of class-I MHC genes and proteins: from natural selection to thymic selection. Annu Rev Immunol 8:23–63

    Google Scholar 

  • Nei M, Gojobori T (1986) Simple methods for estimating the numbers of synonymous and nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions. Mol Biol Evol 3:418–426

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ogawa T, Kitajima M, Nakashima K, Sakaki Y, Ohno M (1995) Molecular evolution of group II phospholipases A2. J Mol Evol (in press)

  • Ohta T (1991) Role of diversifying selection and gene conversion in evolution of major histocompatibility complex loci. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 88:6716–6720

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohta T (1992) A statistical examination of hypervariability in complementarity determining regions of immunoglobulins. Mol Phyl Evol 1:305–311

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohta T (1994) On hypervariability at the reactive center of proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors. J Mol Evol 39:614–619

    Google Scholar 

  • Ohta T, Basten CJ (1992) Gene conversion generates hypervariability at the variable regions of kallikreins and their inhibitors. Mol Phyl Evol 1:87–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Riley MA (1993) Positive selection for colicin diversity in bacteria. Mol Biol Evol 10:1048–1059.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Genetics, 411, Mishima, Japan

    Tomoko Ohta

Authors

  1. Tomoko Ohta

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

About this article

Cite this article

Ohta, T. Gene conversion vs point mutation in generating variability at the antigen recognition site of major histocompatibility complex loci. J Mol Evol 41, 115–119 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00170662

Download citation

  • Received: 03 October 1994

  • Accepted: 18 January 1995

  • Issue Date: August 1995

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00170662

Key words