Identification of novel HLA class I alleles using single allele sequencing

Three new HLA-A and five HLA-B alleles reported in this paper have been characterized by direct sequencing of PCR product obtained by group-specific amplification of potential new alleles. Four new alleles, B*5133, B*5134, B*1574 and B*5807, carry motifs observed in previously identified HLA-B alleles and may have evolved via gene conversion. Four alleles, A*2438, A*3405, A*2437 and B*520104, display polymorphisms at positions previously considered constant. All new alleles were identified either by an unexpected sequence specific oligonucleotide probe hybridization pattern or by sequence-based typing, and later confirmed by single allele sequencing.