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Genomic Organization of the Chicken CD8 Locus Reveals a Novel Family of Immunoreceptor Genes¹

Hung-Jiun Liaw^*, Wei-Ru Chen^*, Yu-Chia Huang^*, Chung-Wei Tsai^*, King-Chan Chang and Chia-Lam Kuo^2,*

^* Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University Medical School, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China

The genomic organization of the chicken CD8 gene was investigated to determine the basis of its polymorphism. Contiguous to the CD8 gene we identified multiple DNA blocks possessing sequences homologous to CD8. Gene conversions and recombination over evolutionary time among CD8 and these CD8 homologous genes seem to account for the observed polymorphism. Furthermore, these CD8-like DNAs encode a distinct multigene family of immunoreceptors that have a charged or polar residue in place of the interspecies-conserved CD8 transmembrane proline residue and a short cytoplasmic tail nonhomologous to CD8. The identification of this novel multigene family with an organization reminiscent of human killer Ig-like receptors raises compelling questions on their evolutionary relationship among immunoreceptors.

The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

¹ This work was supported by National Science Council Grant NSC 93-2320-B-002-015 and a grant from the Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.

² Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Chia-Lam Kuo, Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, P.O. Box 23-106, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China. E-mail address: chialam{at}ccms.ntu.edu.tw

³ Abbreviations used in this paper: IgSF, Ig superfamily; CY, cytoplasmic tail; EST, expressed sequence tag; H, hinge; L, leader; NITR, novel immune-type receptor; RHACD8, receptor homologous to -chain of CD8; RJF, Red Jungle Fowl; TM, transmembrane; UTR, untranslated region; V, variable.