Inactivation of the H-2K1(k) gene could involve the substitutions of methylated CpGs

Abstract

By the isolation of overlapping cosmid clones and 'chromosome walking' studies from the H-2K(k) gene, we have obtained cosmid clones encoding the H-2K1(k) gene from two separate cosmid libraries. The nucleotide sequence of one of the clones was determined. The cloned H-2K1(k) gene could be transcribed in vitro to give a normal H-2 class I mRNA of 1.7 kb. However, the deletion of four nucleotides in exon 3 of the H-2K1(k) gene results in a translation termination codon at the beginning of exon 4. In agreement with this, when expressed in human cells, the H-2K1(k) gene gave a truncated, cytoplasmic polypeptide of M(r) 36,000. Therefore, although the H-2K1(k) gene is homologous to other class I MHC genes in its molecular organization and nucleotide sequence, it is a pseudogene. When compared to the nucleotide sequence of the H-2K(k) gene, the H-2K1(k) gene has undergone many substitutions of methylated CpG residues ((me)CpG). This represents further evidence to suggest that this gene is inactive.