Gene organization of haplotypes expressing two different C4A allotypes.

The gene organization of C4 haplotypes expressing two different C4A allotypes with a C4B null allele (C4A3A2BQ0 and C4A3A6BQO) was studied using Southern blot analysis with cDNA probes and restriction enzymes which give C4A and C4B locus-specific restriction fragments. These haplotypes were shown to have both a C4A and a C4B locus present, suggesting that the C4B locus expresses a C4A protein. The finding of a 21-OH A and a 21-OH B gene on the C4A3A6BQO haplotype further suggests that this haplotype has the common gene organization C4A, 21-OH A, C4B, 21-OH B. A model explaining C4 null alleles on haplotypes found to have two C4 loci is presented.