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Cutting edge: expansion of the KIR locus by unequal crossing over
Maureen P Martin1, Arman Bashirova, James Traherne
1Basic Research Program, Science Applications International Corporation-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA.
Journal of Immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950)
|August 21, 2003
Summary
Killer Ig-like receptor (KIR) gene clusters may undergo unequal crossing over due to their structure. This process can lead to novel KIR haplotypes and gene duplications, influencing gene family evolution.
Area of Science:
- Immunogenetics
- Molecular Evolution
Background:
- Killer Ig-like receptor (KIR) genes exhibit high sequence similarity and tandem organization.
- This arrangement may promote chromosomal misalignment during meiosis, leading to unequal crossing over.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential role of unequal crossing over in shaping KIR gene family diversity.
- To characterize a novel extended KIR haplotype.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of KIR gene organization.
- Identification and sequencing of KIR haplotypes.
Main Results:
- An extended KIR haplotype was identified, featuring a novel hybrid gene and duplicated KIR genes.
- Unequal crossing over between ancestral KIR haplotypes is proposed as the mechanism for its formation.
Conclusions:
- Unequal crossing over may drive the expansion and contraction of KIR haplotypes.
- This mechanism could also contribute to the evolution of other tandemly mapped homologous gene families.