Identification of four novel KIR2DL2 alleles and two novel KIR2DL3 alleles in an East African population.

We report four novel KIR2DL2 alleles and two novel KIR2DL3 alleles identified from an East African population using sequence-based typing. Sequencing and molecular cloning of exon 4 confirmed that the new 2DL2 alleles were identical to 2DL2003, except for the following nucleotide differences: 2DL200601 had a difference at codon 16 (CGC→CCC), resulting in a coding change from arginine to proline; 2DL200602 also had this difference at codon 16, as well as a synonymous difference (GAT→GAC) at codon 31; 2DL200303 had a synonymous difference (AAA→AAG) at codon 61; and 2DL200304 had a synonymous difference (GGG→GGA) at codon 75. 2DL3017 was identical to 2DL3005 except at codon 11 (CGG→CTG, arginine→leucine) and exon 9, codons 297 (CAC→CGC, histidine→arginine) and 321 (TGA→AGA, stop codon→arginine). 2DL300104 was identical to KIR2DL3*001 except for a synonymous difference (GAG→GAA) at codon 54. Identification of novel killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) alleles is a testament to the genetic diversity in this population.