[Identification and sequence analysis of a novel HLA-B*3936 allele]

The aim of study was to confirm the novel HLA allele HLA-B*3936 in Chinese population and to analyze its sequence. The proband was a cord blood donor in the Zhejiang province. DNA was extracted from whole blood by PEL-FREEZ DNA extraction kit. The amplification of HLA-B exons 2 - 4 of the proband was performed by allele specific primer PCR and the amplified product was sequenced bidirectionally with primers. The sequencing results showed HLA-B alleles of the proband as B*4002 and the novel allele. The sequences of the novel allele have been submitted to GenBank (DQ242650, DQ242651, DQ242652). After Blast HLA analysis, the novel allele showed four nucleotide differences with HLA-B*3901 at nucleotide position 527 T-->A, 538 C-->T, 539 T-->G, 544 A-->G in exon 3. It resulted in three amino acid change from Val to Glu at codon 152, Ile to Trp at codon 156, Thr to Ala at codon 158. The result suggested that this allele is a novel allele and has been officially named HLA-B*3936 by the WHO Nomenclature Committee.