Gene mapping within the T/t complex of the mouse. II. Anomalous position of the H-2 complex in t haplotypes.

Naturally occurring t haplotypes are chromosome 17 polymorphisms that suppress genetic recombination in t/+ heterozygotes over a long distance that includes the H-2 complex. There is strong linkage disequilibrium between t haplotypes and H-2 haplotypes; over 20 independently isolated t chromosomes representing eight different complementation groups share only four H-2 haplotypes. Thus t haplotypes and their associated H-2 loci are inherited en bloc as a "supergene" complex, whose frequency is driven in wild mouse populations by their high transmission from male t heterozygotes. This phenomenon must therefore serve as an important regulator of H-2 polymorphisms. Genes within the region of recombination suppression in t haplotypes have been mapped by crossing-over that occurs readily between two different t haplotypes situated in trans, and by this means we show here that the H-2 complex occupies an anomalous position in t haplotypes, mapping proximal to the locus of tf closely flanked by t-lethal mutations.