The major histocompatability complex (MHC) contains conserved polymorphic genomic sequences that are shuffled by...

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) consists of polymorphic frozen blocks (PFBs) that are linked to form megabase haplotypes. These blocks consist of polymorphic sequences and define regions where recombination appears to be inhibited. We have been able to show, using a highly polymorphic sequence centromeric of HLA-B (within the beta block), that PFBs are conserved and contain specific insertions/deletions and substitutions that are the same for individuals with the same MHC haplotype but that differ between at least most different haplotypes. A sequence comparison between ethnic-specific haplotypes shows that these sequences have remained stable and predate the formation of these haplotypes. To determine whether the same conserved block has been involved in the generation of multiple haplotypes, we compared the block typing profiles of different ethnic specific haplotypes. Block typing profiles have previously been shown to be identical in individuals with the same MHC haplotype but, generally, to differ between different haplotypes. It was found that some PFBs are common to more than one haplotype, implying a common ancestry. Subsequently, haplotypes have been generated by the shuffling and exchange of these PFBs. The regions between these PFBs appear to permit the recombination sites and therefore could be expected to exhibit either low polymorphism or a localized "hotspot."