Abstract

LIANG, Qinglong; WEI, Lei; WANG, Xinwei  and  HE, Hongxuan. MHC class I loci of the Bar-Headed goose (Anser indicus). Genet. Mol. Biol. [online]. 2010, vol.33, n.3, pp. 573-577. ISSN 1415-4757.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1415-47572010000300031.

MHC class I proteins mediate functions in anti-pathogen defense. MHC diversity has already been investigated by many studies in model avian species, but here we chose the bar-headed goose, a worldwide migrant bird, as a non-model avian species. Sequences from exons encoding the peptide-binding region (PBR) of MHC class I molecules were isolated from liver genomic DNA, to investigate variation in these genes. These are the first MHC class I partial sequences of the bar-headed goose to be reported. A preliminary analysis suggests the presence of at least four MHC class I genes, which share great similarity with those of the goose and duck. A phylogenetic analysis of bar-headed goose, goose and duck MHC class I sequences using the NJ method supports the idea that they all cluster within the anseriforms clade.

Keywords : MHC I; Anser indicus; polymorphism; phylogenetic analysis.