Transfection of murine LMTK- cells with purified HLA class I genes. VII. Association of allele- and locus-specific serological reactivities with respectively the first and second domains of the HLA-B7 molecule.

The individual contributions of the first two external domains of the HLA-B7 heavy chain to the expression of allele-specific (B7) and locus-specific (B and C) antigenic determinants were investigated using hybrid class I genes. Hybrid genes were constructed in vitro by exon shuffling between the parent genes HLA-B7, HLA-Cw3, HLA-A3, and H-2Kd, and their expression was monitored following transfection into mouse L cells. The results show that most allele-specific antigenic determinants are associated with the first external domain of the B7 heavy chain, whereas all the locus-specific antigenic determinants tested map to the second external domain.