HLA-DQw3.1 and DQw3.2 associated exon polymorphisms detected by oligonucleotide probes.

HLA class II polymorphisms have been analyzed on the genomic level by two oligonucleotide probes corresponding to the DNA sequence coding for the amino acids 23-30 in the first domain of the beta chain of DQw3.1 and DQw3.2. Specific hybridization to single endonuclease fragments of DNA from some HLA homozygous cells was detected. Here we report the distribution of these DNA exon sequences among different DQ alleles, and demonstrate that the probes may be used to type for DQw3.1 and DQw3.2 respectively.