Jarvi S I, Gee G F, Miller M M, Briles W E
Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, USA.
J Hered. 1995 Sep-Oct;86(5):348-53. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a111602.
The B blood group system constitutes the major histocompatibility complex (Mhc) in birds. The Mhc is a cluster of genes largely devoted to the processing and presentation of antigen. The Mhc is highly polymorphic in many species and, thus, useful in the evaluation of genetic diversity for fitness traits within populations of a variety of animals. Correlations found between particular Mhc haplotypes and resistance to certain diseases emphasize the importance of understanding the functional significance of diversity of the Mhc, particularly in species threatened with extinction. As part of studies focused on genetic diversity in wild birds, serological techniques were used to define a highly polymorphic alloantigen system in seven families of Florida sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis pratensis). The results of analyses with antisera produced within the crane families and with chicken Mhc antigen-specific reagents revealed a single major alloantigen system that is likely the Mhc of the Florida sandhill crane. Preliminary experiments indicate that these crane alloantisera will provide a means of defining the Mhc in other species of cranes.
B血型系统构成了鸟类的主要组织相容性复合体（Mhc）。Mhc是一组主要致力于抗原加工和呈递的基因簇。Mhc在许多物种中具有高度多态性，因此，可用于评估各种动物种群中适应性性状的遗传多样性。特定Mhc单倍型与对某些疾病的抗性之间的相关性强调了理解Mhc多样性功能意义的重要性，特别是在濒临灭绝的物种中。作为关注野生鸟类遗传多样性研究的一部分，采用血清学技术在佛罗里达沙丘鹤（Grus canadensis pratensis）的七个家族中定义了一个高度多态的同种异体抗原系统。用鹤类家族内部产生的抗血清以及鸡Mhc抗原特异性试剂进行分析的结果显示，存在一个单一的主要同种异体抗原系统，它可能就是佛罗里达沙丘鹤的Mhc。初步实验表明，这些鹤类同种异体抗血清将为在其他鹤类物种中定义Mhc提供一种方法。
