The major histocompatibility complex of tassel-eared squirrels. I. Genetic diversity associated with Kaibab squirrels.

The complexity and polymorphism of sequences related to the class I and class II genes of mammalian major histocompatibility complexes (MHCs) were investigated in the tassel-eared squirrel subspecies Sciurus aberti kaibabensis or Kaibab squirrel. Kaibab squirrels are geographically isolated on the Kaibab plateau north of the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Genomic DNA from 22 individuals was digested with Eco RI and Bam HI, electrophoresed, blotted, and hybridized with a panel of human class I and class II probes. Sequences homologous to DR alpha, DR beta, DQ beta probes were observed. A single, nonpolymorphic DR alpha-related sequence and multiple, polymorphic DQ alpha-related sequences were observed. Hybridization with DR beta and DQ beta probes revealed multiple, polymorphic sequences with such specificity that no bands were observed to hybridize with both probes. The level of polymorphism of beta sequences exceeded that observed with alpha sequences. Further, three Eco RI bands apparently included at least parts of both alpha and beta sequences. Hybridization of genomic blots with the HLA-B7 class I probe revealed a number of bands comparable in size range and number to other mammalian species. However, only a minor percentage of bands were observed to segregate. The inheritance of these five families of sequences appeared to be neither concordant nor random in the sample population. Based on prior conclusions in other species, these class I and class II sequences are presumed to map to the Kabib MHC, TLSA. Although DQ alpha- and DQ beta-related sequences were concordantly inherited, segregating sequences in the other families could not be assigned to identifiable, segregating haplotypes. These observations suggest that the present-day TSLA haplotypes have been derived from a limited number of progenitor haplotypes through repeated, intra-TSLA recombination.