Chromosome localization and gene synteny of the major histocompatibility complex in the owl monkey, Aotus.

Rodent cells were hybridized with owl monkey (Aotus) cells of karyotypes II, III, V, and VI. Aotus-rodent somatic hybrid lines preferentially segregating Aotus chromosomes were selected to determine the chromosomal location of the major histocompatibility complex and other genes with which it is synthetic in man. Based on correlation between concordant segregation of the chromosome as visualized by G-banding and expression of the Aotus antigens or enzymes in independent Aotus-rodent hybrid clones, we have assigned Aotus gene loci for the MHC, GLO, ME1, SOD2, and PGM3 to Aotus chromosome 9 of karyotype VI (2n = 49/50), chromosome 10 of karyotype V (2n = 46), and chromosome 7 of karyotype II and III (2n = 54 and 53). On the basis of banding patterns we previously postulated that these chromosomes of the different karyotypes were homologous. The gene assignments reported here provide independent evidence for that hypothesis. Aotus chromosomes 9 (K-VI), 10 (K-V), and 7 (K-II, III) are homologous to human chromosome 6 in that they all code for the MHC, GLO, ME1, SOD2, and PGM3. The structural differences between these homologous chromosomes probably resulted from a pericentric inversion.