Rapid assignment of the swine major histocompatibility complex (SLA) class I and II genotypes in Clawn miniature swine using PCR-SSP and PCR-RFLP methods.

Background: Inbred miniature swine with defined novel SLA haplotypes will be useful in allo- and xeno-transplantation studies, which can be carried out representing variable combinations of SLA haplotypes.

Methods: In Clawn miniature swine, two haplotypes (c1 and c2) and one crossover haplotype (c3) have been assigned by nucleotide sequence determination of RT-PCR products of the three SLA classical class I genes and two SLA class II genes. To select SLA class I and II homozygotes in Clawn miniature swine individuals, we developed a rapid and simple SLA-class I- and II-DNA typing method by a combination of polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primer (PCR-SSP) and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) techniques.

Genetic polymorphism of the swine major histocompatibility complex ( SLA) class I genes, SLA-1, -2 and -3.

In order to identify and characterize genetic polymorphism of the swine major histocompatibility complex ( Mhc: SLA) class I genes, RT-PCR products of the second and third exons of the three SLA classical class I genes, SLA-1, SLA-2 and SLA-3 were subjected to nucleotide determination. These analyses allowed the identification of four, eight and seven alleles at the SLA-1, SLA-2 and SLA-3 loci, respectively, from three different breeds of miniature swine and one mixed breed. Among them, 12 alleles were novel.