Isolation and characterization of the cDNA clone and genomic clones of a new HLA class II antigen heavy chain, DO alpha

From a human cDNA library constructed from a consanguineous HLA-homozygous cell line, AKIBA (HLA-A24, Bw52, DR2, Dw12, DQw1, and Cp63) (Cp63, a new SB type), a cDNA clone encoding a new HLA class II antigen heavy chain named DQ alpha was isolated, and was analyzed by Southern blot hybridization and by nucleotide sequence determination. The nucleotide sequence of the DO alpha cDNA was distinct from those of the DR alpha, the DQ alpha, and the DP alpha cDNA, but showed some characteristic features of the class II antigen alpha-chains. We also isolated and identified genomic clones specifying the DO alpha gene. Genomic analyses of cell lines with different HLA-DR serotypes with the use of the DO alpha cDNA as a probe indicated the existence of a single DO alpha gene that exhibited little restriction enzyme polymorphism.