Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Test for Haplotyping Domesticated Fowl

This invention relates to restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern tests useful to genotype domesticated fowl for the major histocompatibility B-G loci. The invention also relates to the use of certain B-G polypeptides to impart immunity to or to control the susceptibility of domesticated fowl to various diseases.

In domesticated fowl the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) which is associated with the regulation of immune recognition and immune response is called the B system. Resistance to Marek's disease is closely related to the domesticated fowl MHC. Resistance to other diseases, general fitness, and productivity also appear to be influenced to some extent by MHC haplotype.

MHC haplotyping of chickens is presently done by hemagglutination assay which relies on the production of specific antisera. The assay in itself is technically simple. However, the production of the antisera and the interpretation of the assays require a highly trained individual. The MHC haplotypes present in commercial strains of chickens are usually a trade secret known only to individual breeders. Isolation of cloned gene sequences from the B system provides a means of developing alternative methods for MHC haplotyping of birds and for determining the genotype at particular loci within the B system. The interpretation of results is generally simpler and more uniform since typing by restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns is no longer dependent upon alloantisera which often require selective absorptions with blood samples from genetically-defined animals to delineate haplotype specificity.

The B system of histocompatibility in domesticated fowl is known to contain three subregions which are identified as B-F, B-G and B-L. B-F, B-G and B-L are described as subregions because multiple genes of each type are present within the region of the B system. This invention includes cDNA clones encoding B-G antigens of the B system. MHC haplotyping is accomplished by use of novel probes provided by these clones to detect restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns typical for various B-G alleles present at the multiple loci within the B-G subregion.

Genetic recombination within the B system of the chicken is rare. For that reason, while the probes of this invention screen for the B-G genes, additional genes also of importance to disease resistance may be located in regions within and closely adjacent to the B system and genetically and physically linked to the B-G type. Other genes of mostly unknown function are located within the MHC as well.

FIGS. 1A and 1B are immunblots of B-G21 antigen and .lambda.bg28 lysogen proteins reacted with antibodies specific to the bg28-.beta.-galactosidase fusion protein.

FIG 1A is a Coomassie-blue stained SDS-8% polyacrylamide gel containing the following protein samples: 1 .mu.g purified B-G21 antigen (lane 1); 40 .mu.g of total cell protein from a .lambda.bg28 lysogen grown in the presence of IPTG (lane 2); 40 .mu.g of total cell protein from a .lambda.gt11 lysogen grown in the presence of IPTG (lane 3); 40 .mu.g of total cell protein from .lambda.bg28 lysogen grown in the absence of IPTG (lane 4); and protein size markers (marked MK) with their respective molecular weights given to the left in kilodaltons (kDa).

FIG. 1B is a parallel immunoblot. The same protein samples were subjected to SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as in FIG. 1A and then were electrophoretically transferred to a hybridization membrane. The proteins were reacted with B-G antigen-directed antiserum that had been affinity purified against bg28-.beta.-galactosidase fusion protein. Bound antibodies were detected with .sup.125 I-Protein A and the above autoradiogram was the result of an overnight exposure with an intensifying screen at -70.degree. C. The white arrowheads mark the position of the bg28-.beta.-galactosidase fusion protein. The dark arrowheads mark the positions of the two polypeptides of B-G21 antigen.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are Northern analyses of poly(A).sup.+ RNA from embryonic tissues. Poly(A).sup.+ RNA samples (1 .mu.g each) from the brain (BR), gizzard (GI), and erythrocytes B (ER) were subjected to formaldehyde agarose gel electrophoresis, transferred to a hybridization membrane, and hybridized with either .sup.32 P-labeled bg28 insert (A) or a .sup.32 P-labeled .beta.-actin probe (B). FIG. 2A is an autoradiogram which was the result of a 16-hour exposure. FIG. 2B is an autoradiogram which was the result of a 1-hour exposure.

The 16 hour exposure of FIG. 2B revealed an actin mRNA species in the erythrocyte RNA sample (data not shown).

FIG. 3. Southern analyses of chicken genomic DNA from birds disomic, trisomic, or tetrasomic for the B system-bearing microchromosome. PvuII-digested genomic DNA (5 .mu.g each) from chickens either disomic (2.times.), trisomic (3.times.), or tetrasomic (4.times.) for the B-complex microchromosome were subjected to electrophoresis on an 0.8% agarose gel and hybridized within the gel to either .sup.32 P-labeled .lambda.bg28 insert (left 4 samples) or a .sup.32 P-labeled .beta.-actin probe (right 3 samples). The lane marked C contained 10 pg of HindIII-linearized Bluescript plasmid containing the bg28 insert. On the left are molecular size markers (in kilobase pairs) based on a HindIII digest of phage .lambda.. The above autoradiograms were the result of an overnight exposure.

FIG. 4. Hybridization of the bg28 insert to restriction digests of chicken genomic DNA from birds of different B haplotypes. PvuII-digested genomic DNA (5 .mu.g each) from chickens of different B haplotypes were subjected to electrophoresis on an 0.8% agarose gel and hybridized within the gel to .sup.32 P-labeled bg28 insert. DNA samples are labeled according to their respective B haplotype (see Table 1). The lane marked C contained 10 pg of HindIII-linearized Bluescript plasmid containing the bg28 insert. On the left are molecular size markers (in kilobase pairs) based on a HindIII digest of phage .lambda.. The above autoradiogram was the result of an overnight exposure.

FIG. 5. Hybridization of the bg28 insert to restriction digests of chicken genomic DNA from birds of B-region recombinant haplotype. PvuII-digested genomic DNA (5 .mu.g each) from chickens of either the parental B.sup.15 and B.sup.21 haplotypes or the recombinant B.sup.15r1 and B.sup.21r3 haplotypes were subjected to electrophoresis on an 0.8% agarose gel and hybridized within the gel to .sub.32 P-labeled bg28 insert. DNA samples are labeled according to their respective haplotype (see Table 1). The lane marked C contained 10 pg of HindIII-linearized Bluescript plasmid containing the bg28 insert. On the left are molecular size markers (in kilobase pairs) based on a HindIII digest of phage .lambda.. The above autoradiogram was the result of an overnight exposure.

FIG. 6 (SEQ. ID. NO. 1) Partial nucleotide sequence of the bg28 insert and the corresponding amino-acid sequence, determined by the dideoxy-chain-termination method of nucleotide sequencing on one strand only of bg28 cloned cDNA.

FIG. 7 (SEQ. ID. NO. 2) Nucleotide sequence of the bg28 insert, determined by the dideoxy-chain-termination method of nucleotide sequencing of both strands of bg28 cloned cDNA.

FIG. 8. Southern blot analyses of hybridization between bg32.1 and chicken genomic DNA. DNA samples are from birds of B.sup.15 haplotype disomic (2.times.), trisomic (3.times.) and tetrasomic (4.times.) for the B system-bearing microchromosome and from birds of B.sup.15r1, B.sup.21r3, and B.sup.21 haplotypes. Pvu II-digested genomic DNA samples (5 .mu.g each) were subjected to electrophoresis in an 0.8% agarose gel and hybridized within the gel to .sup.32 P-labeled bg32.1 insert. On the left are molecular size markers (in kilobase pairs) based on a Hind III digestion of phage .lambda.. The autoradiogram is the result of an overnight exposure.

FIGS. 9A and 9B. Hybridization of the bg28 (A) and bg32.1 (B) probes to restriction digests of chicken genomic DNA from birds of 17 standard haplotypes. Pvu II-digested genomic DNA (5 .mu.g each sample) were subjected to electrophoresis in an 0.8% agarose gel and hybridized within the gel to the .sup.32 P-labeled probes. DNA samples are labeled according to their respective B haplotype (see Table 3). Molecular size markers (in kilobase pairs) are based on a Hind III digestion of phage .lambda.. The autoradiograms are the result of overnight exposures.

FIG. 10. Hybridization of the bg28 probe to genomic DNA (5 .mu.g each lane) from birds of B.sup.4 and B.sup.11 haplotypes digested with Pvu II, Bam HI, Eco RI, Hind III and Pst I. On the left are molecular size markers (in kilobase pairs) based on a Hind II digestion of phage .lambda.. The autoradiogram is the result of an overnight exposure.

FIG. 11. (SEQ. ID. NO. 3) Nucleotide sequence of bg32.1.

FIG. 12. (SEQ. ID. NO. 4) Nucleotide sequence of bg11.

FIG. 13. (SEQ. ID. NO. 5) Nucleotide sequence of bg14.

FIG. 14. (SEQ. ID. NO. 6) Nucleotide sequence of bg3.

FIG. 15. (SEQ. ID. NO. 7) Nucleotide sequence of bg8.

FIG. 16. (SEQ. ID. NO. 8) Nucleotide sequence of bg17.

FIG. 17. (SEQ. ID. NO. 9) Nucleotide sequence of gi6.

FIG. 18. (SEQ. ID. NO. 10) Nucleotide sequence of gi9.

FIG. 19. (SEQ. ID. NO. 11) Nucleotide sequence of gi11.

FIG. 20. (SEQ. ID. NO. 12) Nucleotide sequence of a 4.757 Kb fragment of chicken genomic DNA to which all the cDNA clones will hybridize under stringent conditions (in overnight aqueous solution hybridizations at 65.degree. C. in 5.times. SSPE, 5.times. Denhardt's, 1% SDS, 100 ug/ml salmon sperm DNA, .sup.32 P-labeled denatured probe, followed by a 65.degree. C. stringent wash in 0.5.times. SSC).

FIG. 21. Percent similarity among the bg cDNA clone sequences as exemplified by comparison of all clones to bg14 using the ALIGN program in the DNASTAR.

FIG. 22 (SEQ. ID. NO. 13) Comparison of the peptide sequence of two B-G 21 peptides with the predicted amino acid sequences of bg14 and bg11 cDNA clones.

FIG. 23. Hybridization of the bg11 probe to restriction digests of turkey genomic DNA from three inbred lines. Sst 1-digested DNA samples (10 ug each sample) were subjected to electrophoresis in an 0.8% agarose gel, alkaline transferred by positive pressure displacement into a hybridization membrane (NEN Gene Screen), baked for 1 hour at 80.degree. C., briefly UV cross-linked. Hybridization was carried out at 60.degree. C. in aqueous solution overnight (5.times. SSPE, 5.times. Denhardt's, 1% SDS, 100 ug/ml salmon sperm DNA, .sup.32 P-labeled denatured probe). Wash conditions were as follows: (a) a room temperature wash for 5 min. in 2.times. SSC (sodium chloride/sodium citrate), (b) followed by 60.degree. C. stringent temperature wash for 30 min. in 0.5.times. SSC+1% SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) and (c) a second room temperature wash for 5 min. in 2.times. SSC to remove the SDS before an overnight exposure of film to the membrane.

FIG. 24. Hybridization of the bg32.1 probe to restriction digests of pheasant DNA samples (10 ug each digested with Pvu II) from a family of pheasants (dam, sire and four progeny) in which B haplotypes have been defined by serological methods. Conditions of hybridization and washing are identical to those provided in FIG. 22 (SEQ. ID. NO. 13).

FIG. 25 (SEQ. ID. NO. 14). Sequence of a complete B-G gene. Included is a portion of the DNA upstream from the transcription start site.

Pursuant to this invention, probes are provided by cloning of cDNA fragments from genes found within the B-G subregion of the MHC of a domesticated fowl, e.g., a chicken. With these probes, the presence of multiple alleles within the B-G subregion, a subregion of the B region encompassing multiple B-G loci, is demonstrated through homologous DNA hybridization of the B-G gene sequences in genomic DNA cut with a restriction enzyme, electrophoresed and analyzed in a Southern hybridization carried out either directly in the agarose matrix of the electrophoretic gel or in hybridization-membranes into which the DNA has been transferred. RFLP patterns which appear to be typical for each of a plurality of B-G alleles are described. Probes subsumed by the invention including synthetic oligonucleotide probes synthesized based on the sequences of the B-G cDNA clones described herein provide a new means of haplotyping chickens and other domesticated fowl including poultry (principally in the Order Galliformes) and game birds (principally in the Orders Anseriformes and Galliformes).

In one embodiment of the invention, a cDNA clone bg28 for a B-G antigen of the chicken major histocompatibility complex (MHC) was isolated by screening of a lambda gt11 cDNA library constructed from chicken embryo erythroid cell poly(A.sup.+) RNA. The identity of the cDNA clone as one encoding a B-G antigen was confirmed (1) by demonstrating that the clone is complementary to an erythroid cell-specific messenger RNA, (2) by obtaining the predicted patterns of hybridization of the clone with restriction endonuclease digested genomic DNA from inbred, MHC recombinant and polysomic chicken lines, and (3) by demonstrating the specific reactivity of antibodies monospecific for the fusion protein of this clone with B-G antigen protein.

Screening of the lambda gt11 cDNA library. A previously described lambda gt11 library, 1/the M library prepared from gradient-fractionated poly (A).sup.+ erythroid cell RNA was screened essentially as described previously. 2/ Overnight cultures of E. coli strain Y1088 3/ were infected with 50,000 plaque-forming units of recombinant lambda gt11, suspended in top agarose, and plated on 150 mm TYE-plates. Two plates were prepared for each of five aliquots of the amplified M library. The rabbit antiserum prepared against purified B-G21 was preabsorbed by the addition of 4 mg/ml ovalbumin, and by mixing 250 .mu.l of the antiserum with Y1088 cells from a 10 ml overnight culture, spun down and resuspended in 10 ml of G buffer (TBS containing 0.1% gelatin). After 30 minutes incubation on ice, the cells were spun out and the antibody containing solution was then poured onto the surface of a 150 mm plate containing confluently lysed Y1088 cells infected with wild type lambda gt11. After an additional 30 minutes incubation on this plate (with rocking), the antibody containing solution was collected and the debris removed by centrifugation. It was then diluted to a final volume of 125 ml with GT and added to the filters. The additional steps in screening are as previously described (Moon, et al., 1985). Approximately 100 plaques were found to react positively with the rabbit anti-.beta.-G21 serum. Thirty of these were picked for a second screening, the majority of which were again positive on the second screening. From these, six clones of varying intensity of reactivity with the antiserum were picked for further study. Three of these were subcloned.

Subcloning lambda gt11 inserts into M13 and Bluescript. cDNA inserts were obtained from recombinant clones of lambda gt11 by digestion with EcoR1. Insertion into the M13 and Bluescript (Stratagene) vectors was carried out by mixing the digested recombinant clones with the new vector in a ratio of 3:1 and religating. Recombinant colonies were selected using X-gal plates. The subclone with the longest insert 0.5 kb in size, designated bg28, was selected for further analysis.

Antiserum 7 used in identifying those clones was prepared against purified B-G21 antigen and was demonstrated to be specific for B-G antigens and for bg28 fusion protein in Western blot preparations. The presence of antibodies within this antiserum which recognize epitopes shared by the fusion protein product and B-G21 protein was also demonstrated. Antibodies affinity-purified with the bg28 lysogen lysate were found to bind to B-G21 antigen in immunoblots. See FIG. 1.

Preparation of fusion protein B-G28. E. coli strain Y1089 (supF) 4/ were infected with the lambda gt11 recombinant clones, colonies replica plated and lysogens selected as previously described. 5/ One lysogen, grown up in an overnight culture, was inoculated into 25 ml TYE media and incubated at 32.degree. C. to an OD.sub.600 of 0.6. The cells were then heat shocked at 42.degree. C. for 20 minutes, IPTG added to a final concentration of 10 mM, and incubation continued at 37.degree. C. for two hours. Parallel cultures of the lambda gt11 wild type and an uninduced culture of the lysogen were prepared to serve as controls. The cultures were harvested by pelleting the cells, resuspending in PBS and 0.1% phenyl methyl sulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). The cells were lysed by sonication, the cellular debris removed by centrifugation, and the resulting supernatants were used as a source of the bg28 fusion protein.

Hybridization of bg28 cDNA insert to transcripts from erythroid and nonerythroid cells. Poly(A).sup.+ RNA was isolated from different tissues of 14-day chick embryos. The RNA samples were subjected to denaturing agarose gel electrophoresis, capillary blotted into hybridization membranes and hybridized with .sup.32 P-labeled bg28 cDNA insert. Only for the erythroid cells, the only cells known to carry B-G antigen, was a hybridizing mRNA species found (FIG. 2A). The lack of hybridization seen for other tissues were not due to RNA degradation since the same samples were shown to hybridize to a .beta.-actin probe in a parallel hybridization experiment (FIG. 2B). Bursa poly(A).sup.+ RNA was similarly analyzed with both probes and was found to hybridize to only the .beta.-actin probe (data not shown). The size of the erythroid mRNA that hybridized to the bg28 insert was 2.1 kb, which is sufficiently long to encode a protein of 48 kDa.

Hybridization of bg28 to genomic DNA from chickens differing at the B system loci. Additional evidence for the identity of bg28 as a cDNA clone from the B-G region of the chicken MHC are provided by the patterns of hybridization of this clone to restriction endonuclease-digested genomic DNA from chickens differing in MHC haplotype, as shown in Table 1.

A first line of evidence supporting the designation of bg28 as a MHC clone was obtained by the analysis of genomic DNA from disomic, trisomic and tetrasomic chickens of B.sup.15 haplotype. The recent demonstration of a linkage between the major histocompatibility (B) complex and the nucleolar organizer on a microchromosome in the chicken 6/ has made it possible to select polysomics of a single haplotype. As would be expected if the bg28 clone were an MHC element, an increasing intensity of hybridization was obtained between the probe genomic DNA prepared from diploid, trisomic and tetrasomic birds. See FIG. 3, three samples on left. In contrast, hybridization of an actin probe is uniform across the three samples. See FIG. 3, three samples on right.

In the second set of Southern hybridizations, bg28 was hybridized with PvuII-digested DNA from eight lines of chickens differing at the MHC (see FIG. 4), restriction fragment length polymorphisms would be predicted if the clone is indeed from this region of the chicken genome. Antigens of the chicken MHC have been demonstrated previously to be polymorphic both immunologically 7/ and biochemically. A polymorphic pattern of restriction fragment lengths is evident when bg28 is used as a probe.

The third line of evidence from genomic DNA studies for the designation of bg28 as a chicken MHC clone, and for its identity with the B-G subregion is provided by the pattern of hybridization of this clone with DNA from MHC recombinant haplotypes. Substantially reciprocal recombinants, designated as B.sup.15r1 and B.sub.21r3 which are B-G.sup.21 -B-F.sup.15 and B-G.sup.15 -B-F.sup.21, respectively provide a means of further testing the bg28 clone for assignment to the B-G subregion. As would be predicted, the restriction fragment length pattern of hybridization of this probe with both recombinants produces a pattern indicating that the B-G subregion is that which has been cloned. See FIG. 5.

Sequence of the bg28 and comparison of the amino acid composition translated sequence with the amino acid composition of purified protein. bg28 was subcloned into M13mp19 and the entire insert sequenced in one direction by the dideoxy-chain-termination method. Translation of this nucleotide sequence and its complement into peptide sequence in all six reading frames produced only one peptide without internal stop codons. See FIGS. 6 (SEQ ID NO. 1) and 7 (SEQ ID NO. 2). Two nucleotide sequences of bg28 are presented. The first determination was made by sequencing only one strand of the cloned fragment, and the second was a full sequence determination on both strands. The two sequences determinations are 99% identical. The differences between the first and second determinations are minor, they consist of: (1) a change from G>C at position 72, (2) the deletion of ATC at positions 258-260, (3) the deletion of A at position 354, (4) the insertion of A at position 490, and (5) the transposition of GC to CG at positions 506-507. The differences are of such a minor nature that probes of either sequence would provide identical RFLP patterns in Southern hybridizations. As Table 2 shows, the amino acid composition of this peptide (genotype unknown) compares well with the amino acid composition of the B-G21.

A second cDNA probe useful in this invention and identified as bg32.1 was also subcloned into Blue-script and purified from the vector prior to labeling by random priming.

The bg32.1 is a 650 bp cDNA clone isolated from a lambda gt11 expression library made erythroid from erythrocyte mRNA 8/ by cross-hybridization with bg32, a clone originally obtained screening the same library with antibodies prepared against purified B-G 21 antigen as described above. Under conditions of high stringency, the bg32 and bg32.1 fragments fail to hybridize with the previously described bg28 clone. However, as demonstrated previously with bg28, the bg32.1 clone can be assigned to B system-bearing microchromosome and further assigned to the B-G subregion on the basis of the patterns of hybridization with DNA from birds polysomic for the B system bearing microchromosome and with DNA from MHC recombinant haplotypes (FIG. 8). The intensity of hybridization of the bg32.1 probe to the DNA of polysomic birds increases proportionate to the copy number of the B system bearing microchromosome. The bg32.1 probe can be further assigned to the B-G subregion on the basis of the pattern of hybridization with DNA from B system recombinants derived from two independent recombinant events which produced essentially reciprocal rearrangements of the B-F/B-L and B-G subregions in B.sup.15 and B.sup.21 haplotypes. The pattern of hybridization with DNA of the recombinants matches that of the B-G subregion contributing parental haplotype (FIG. 8). The nucleotide sequence of .lambda.bg32.1 is shown by FIG. 11 (SEQ ID NO. 3).

High molecular weight DNA was isolated from blood samples collected from birds of known B system haplotype carried in several different flocks (see Table 3).

Samples were taken from one or more individuals of each flock examined. FIGS. 9A and 9B depict patterns of hybridization between bg28 and bg32.1 and Pvu II digested DNA from a single representative from each of the 17 standard haplotypes examined. Multiple DNA restriction fragments, 4-10 per haplotype ranging size from approximately 1 to about 10 Kb are detected by the two probes. Some fragments are common to the patterns produced by both probes. For example, the three largest fragments in the B-G.sup.21 patterns produced with both probes appear identical. Other fragments are detected only by one or the other of the probes. A number of the restriction fragments appear to be widely shared among the haplotypes, although with the exception of perhaps one fragment of about 5.2 Kb present in Pvu II-digested DNA probed with bg28, none are shared in common across all the haplotypes examined. The B-G subregions are each so different, as reflected in the restriction fragment patterns, that generally the different genotypes can be distinguished readily from each other in a Southern hybridization using this single restriction enzyme and either of the two B-G c-DNA probes. The only exceptions appear to be the patterns produced by DNA from birds of B.sup.4 and B.sup.11 haplotypes. The other important finding is that without exception the restriction fragment patterns were the same for each B-G allele across the samples included in this study including samples obtained from different populations known on the basis of serological typing to carry the same B haplotypes.

In order to distinguish clearly the B-G genotype of B.sup.4 and B.sup.11 birds, it was necessary to employ additional restriction enzymes. Among the digestions with five restriction enzymes only those produced with Eco RI provided patterns clearly differentiating the two B-G genotypes (FIG. 10). It is notable that even with this enzyme the patterns of the two haplotypes differ only by a proportionate shift in the size of two restriction fragments out of the seven fragments produced.

Additional cDNA probes derived from erythrocytic mRNA of B.sup.21 haplotype useful in this invention and identified as bg11 (FIG. 12) (SEQ ID NO. 4), bg14 (FIG. 13) (SEQ ID NO. 5), bg3 (FIG. 14) (SEQ ID NO. 6), bg8 (FIG. 15) (SEQ ID NO. 7) and bg17 (FIG. 16) (SEQ ID NO. 8), as well as the additional clones gi6 (FIG. 17) (SEQ ID NO. 9) , gi9 (FIG. 18) (SEQ ID NO. 10)and gi11 (FIG. 19) (SEQ ID NO. 11) derived from mRNA of the small intestine (also B.sup.21) were also subcloned into Bluescript, fully sequenced and found to have properties like those of bg28 and bg32.1 when employed in the Southern hybridizations. The strong sequence similarity among all the cDNA clones is depicted in FIG. 20 (SEQ ID NO. 12) where all the cDNA clone sequences are compared to bg14 (a full length cDNA clone having no intronic sequences) using the ALIGN program in DNASTAR. (ALIGN is an algorithm for optimal local alignment of two partially homologous DNA sequences.) These sequences, encompassing full-length (also including introns in some), near the full-length or partial lengths of transcripts for individual B-G polypeptides, all show significant sequence similarity with bg14. Moreover, bg14 shows significant similarity to the nucleotide sequence of a 4,757 Kb fragment of chicken genomic DNA, typifying a segment of genomic DNA to which these B-G cDNA clones would hybridize will hybridize under straight conditions. Using the SEQCOMP program in DNASTAR (an algorithm appropriate for alignment with very large sequences in a reasonable length of time by time locating regions of perfect match and then optimizing fit) sequences the similarity between the two sequences is 89%.

Analysis of these sequences have provided an understanding of the organization of the B-G transcripts and prediction of the amino acid sequence of the B-G polypeptides. For purposes of illustration the organization of bg14 is described. The fully processed transcript cloned in bg14 is 1816 bp. It contains both 5'- and 3'-noncoding sequences. An open reading frame corresponds to a 398 amino acid polypeptide (including signal peptide) with calculated M.sub.r 45,298. Within the coding region there are sequences for: (a) a N-terminal signal peptide of 34 amino acids, (b) a single extracellular domain (amino acid residues 35-148), (c) a transmembrane domain (residues 149-178), and (d) a cytoplasmic region made up from a series of domains (residues 179-398). The single extracellular domain has properties that identify as highly similar to members of the immunoglobulin gene superfamily. The intracellular domains are characterized by a strong heptad pattern, repeats of seven amino acids the seventh residue of which is nearly always hydrophobic. This pattern is consistent with the primary sequence patterns of molecules .alpha.-alpha helical coiled coil conformation. All the cDNA clones are similarly organized. Some are missing portions of the full transcript sequence (for example bg17 is missing a portion of the 5' end and bg11 is missing a small portion at the 3' end) and some contain unprocessed introns (bg8, for example, possesses 9 unprocessed introns; bg11 contains 1). Comparisons of the sequences bg28 and bg32.1 with the sequences of clones full transcripts provide evidence that these probes encompass respectively portions of the 5' end and 3' end of B-G transcripts.

Since none of the transcripts represented in the sequences of these clones are identical, except for bg14 and bg8 which apparently represent the same transcript type and differ only by the presence of intronic sequences with bg8 and a single, silent base difference, there is now evidence for the expression of 8 transcript types, Six of these are from libraries of B.sup.21 haplotype and the remaining two, bg28 and bg32.1 are from birds of unknown genetic background. Hence the multiple transcript types provide evidence for the expression of alleles are multiple loci within the B-G subregion. Probes derived from these cDNA clones hybridize under stringent conditions (e.g., overnight aqueous hybridization in 5.times. SSPE, 5.times. Denhardt's, 1% SDS, 100 ug/ml salmon sperm DNA, .sup.32 P-labeled denatured probe at 65.degree. C. and stringent temperature wash at 65.degree. C. in 0.5.times. SSC) to multiple bands in Southern hybridizations with genomic DNA from chickens of many different haplotypes, as illustrated by FIGS. 3, 4, 5, 9 (A and B), and 10. Hybridization temperatures and wash temperatures of from about 55.degree. C. to about 70.degree. C. are appropriate.

These sequences and subsequences derived from them for the production of synthetic oligonucleotide probes have the capability for producing RFLP patterns by hybridization with gene sequences in other bird species. Illustrated in FIG. 23 is the hybridization of bg11 under moderately high stringency (overnight aqueous hybridization in 5.times. SSPE, 5.times. Denhardt's, 1% SDS, 100 ug/ml salmon sperm DNA, .sup.32 P-labeled denatured probe at 60.degree. C. and stringent temperature wash at 60.degree. C. in 0.5.times. SSC) and produces polymorphic band patterns with Sst 1 digested genomic from turkeys.

The capability of these probes to produce RFLP patterns in genomic DNA of other bird species is further illustrated by FIG. 24 where bg32.1 hybridizes to multiple, polymorphic bands in genomic DNA from a family of ring-necked pheasants serologically B typed.