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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1992 Jan 15;89(2):773–777. doi: 10.1073/pnas.89.2.773

Testis-/embryo-expressed genes are clustered in the mouse H-2K region.

Y I Yeom 1, K Abe 1, D Bennett 1, K Artzt 1
PMCID: PMC48321  PMID: 1731353

Abstract

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the mouse is located on chromosome 17 in the distal inversion of the t complex. In addition to genes playing major roles in the immune response, it contains a diversity of genes. In humans, numerous diseases are known to be associated with the MHC loci. Moreover, at least three recessive embryonic t-lethal mutations have been mapped to the MHC. Here a molecular genetic approach was used to study the detailed genomic structure of 240 kilobases (kb) surrounding the H-2K gene and 150 kb of a partly homologous region located in the distal inversion of the t complex. Combined with previous findings, the H-2K region was found to contain an impressively high density of genes--12 transcription units in 240 kb. Surprisingly, virtually all of these genes are expressed in testis and/or embryos. The genomic organization of this region is contrasted with the 150 kb of the homologous area where only three genes and an endogenous retrovirus reside.

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Selected References

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