Molecular Biology and Evolution of Blood Group and MHC Antigens in Primates

Zoologists have categorized primates into a single order, and no one doubts today that they share a common ancestry. Humans and Old and New World non human primate species, from the lemurs of Madagascar to the African anthro poid apes, represent diverging branches of an evolutionary common trunk. Along with species-specific characters, all primates have retained a number of ancestral traits, relics of their common origin. The comparative study of these species-specific and ancestral traits makes it possible to reconstruct the evolu tionary pathways of humans and nonhuman primates. The discovery of the human blood groups and, later, of the Major Histocom patibility Complex (MHC) had a seminal effect on the field of human genetics, providing the first sound examples of mendel ian polymorphisms. The use of blood group and MHC alleles as genetic markers in biological anthropology gen erated a conceptual revolution and persuaded researchers to begin to think in terms of populations and not only intems of typology. The counterparts of these human red and white cell antigens were found and studied in nunhuman primates, and progress in this field is summarized in this book.

Klappentext

The book provides up-to-date summaries on the main systems of blood group antigens and MHC molecules. The human systems are used to explain the necessary background knowledge and the systems in nonhuman primates are then described and compared. The emphasis is on the molecular nature of the gene products, the evolutionary relationships among the various systems, and the presumed mechanims by which the systems have evolved. All articles are written in such a way that they can serve as an introduction to the field for nonexperts and at the same time as a handbook for experts. Numerous tables, diagrams, and figures provide overviews of structure, distribution in different species, lists of known forms, and evolutionary relationships. Extensive reference lists guide the reader through the literature on each topic.

Zusammenfassung
"The extensive list of references, MHC nucleotide sequences of nonhuman primates, and numerous tables and figures make this a valuable handbook for experts in the field of nonhuman primates. It also provides a comprehensive review of human blood and MHC antigens for clinicians in the fields of hematology, transplantation and transfusion medicine." International Journal of Hematology

Inhalt
I Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Primates.- 1 Taxonomy and Phylogeny of Primates.- II Red Blood Cell Antigens.- 1 Introduction.- 2 The ABO, Hh and Lewis Blood Group in Humans and Nonhuman Primates.- 3 The MNSs Blood Group System Serology and Formal Genetics.- Molecular Biology of Glycophorins in Humans and Nonhuman Primates.- 4 The Rhesus System.- 5 The Duffy Blood Group System and Its Extensions in Nonhuman Primates.- 6 The ?-Galactosyl Epitope (Gal?1-3Gal?1-4G1cNAc-R) and the Natural Anti-Gal Antibody.- 7 Simian-Type Blood Groups of Nonhuman Primates.- 8 Blood Group Antigens as Receptors for Pathogens.- 9 Evolution of Blood Group Antigen Polymorphism.- III Major Histocompatibility.- 1 Geography and History of the Genes in the Human MHC: Can We Predict MHC Organization in Nonhuman Primates?.- 2 Class I Genes in Nonhuman Primates.- 3 Mhc Class II Genes of Nonhuman Primates The DR Loci.- Evolution of Length Variation in the Primate Mhc-DR Subregion.- The DQ Loci.- Nonhuman Primate Mhc-DP Genes.- The DM and DN/DO Loci.- 4 The Primate Class III Major Histocompatibility Complex Region Encoding Complement Components and Other Genes.- 5 Mhc Genes, Immune Response, and Vaccines.- 6 MHC and Disease Associations in Nonhuman Primates.- 7 Nonhuman Primate MHC Class I Sequences, 1997.- 8 Nonhuman Primate MHC Class II Sequences: A Compilation.- 9 Nomenclature for the Major Histocompatibility Complexes and Alleles of Different Nonhuman Primate Species.