Analysis of Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms of the Major Histocompatibility Complex of 15I5-B-Congenic Chicken Lines

Abstract

<p>Eight 15I₅ <em>B</em>-congenic White Leghorn chicken lines, containing haplotypes<em>B</em> ² <em>, B</em> ⁵ <em>, B</em> ¹², <em>B</em> ¹³, <em>B</em> ¹⁵ <em>, B</em> ¹⁹ <em>,</em> and <em>B</em> ²¹, were subjected to molecular genotyping with chicken <em>B</em>-<em>F</em> (Class I) and <em>B-L</em> (Class II) major histocompatibility complex (MHC) probes. Genomic DNA was digested with restriction enzymes, hybridized with a Class I or Class II probe, and analyzed for restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Digestion with<em>Hind</em>III or <em>Eco</em>RI yielded no <em>B-L</em> polymorphisms. Digestion with <em>Pvu</em>II or <em>Bgl</em>II and hybridization with a <em>B-L</em> or <em>B-F</em> probe produced polymorphisms that were shared between several haplotypes, although the haplotypes with similar patterns were clustered differently between Class I and Class II probes. The genetic variation seen for <em>B-L</em> and <em>B-F</em> probe hybridization of<em>Pvu</em>II digests was much less than that previously demonstrated for <em>B-G</em>probing of <em>Pvu</em>II digests of the same lines. Description of MHC Class I and II restriction patterns of the well-characterized 15I₅ <em>B</em>-congenic lines will aid in identification of genes important in disease resistance.</p>