IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Kennedy, L.; Auty, H.; Brown, J.; Ollier, W.E.R.; Kitchener, A.; Radford, A.D. | |
| Characterising the MHC in Domestic and Wild Felids | |
| 2007 Conference Proceeding | |
The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) in the cat (FLA) contains highly polymorphic genes, many of which are critical in regulating the immune response. The cat MHC contains up to three DRA and DRB genes, but lacks DQ and DP genes. We have investigated FLA-DRB alleles in a variety of domestic and wild felids. DNA samples from 109 domestic cats and 67 wild cats (from 16 different species) were characterised using DNA sequencing and cloning, and Reference Strand-mediated conformation analysis (RSCA). Results indicate that individual cats can have one to six alleles present, suggesting that different haplotypes may carry one, two or three DRB genes. To date, we have been unable to assign alleles to specific loci. Fifty of our samples are from family members, but it has not proved easy to assign haplotypes. This may be complicated by the possibility that available primers do not amplify all alleles. Interestingly there was some sharing of alleles between different species. One allele was found in lions and jaguars, and another in amur and persian leopards. The Indian desert cat shared an allele with the domestic cat. Further work is needed to dissect the complexity of the FLA-DRB genes. |
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