Analysis of the H-2Kbm8 mutant: correlation of structure with function

The gene for H-2K class I major histocompatibility antigen on the bm8 variant was cloned and the DNA sequence compared with the parental gene. Sequence analysis demonstrated that seven nucleotides were changed with respect to the parental gene sequence spanning 24 nucleotides. These changes represent an alteration of four amino acids from the parent protein. As this mutation occurred in a single generation, a potential donor gene for such a complex mutation was suggested and identified. The Q4 gene class I-like molecule has a stretch of 95 nucleotides of identity in the region of the bm8 mutation. Genomic Southern analysis of the mutant and parental DNA with a gene-specific oligonucleotide demonstrated that the potential donor gene Q4 is a likely candidate sequence for such an event. The amino acid alterations for the H-2Kbm8 mutation are discussed in consideration of hte three-dimensional structure of the characterized human class I glycoprotein.