Analysis of Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms of the Major Histocompatibility Complex of 15I5-B-Congenic Chicken Lines

Bight 1515 B-congenic White Leghorn chicken lines, containing haplotypes B 2, Bs, Bl2, Bl3, B15,B19, andB21, were subjected tomoleculargenotypingwithchickenB-F (Class l)andB-L (Class m major histocompatibility complex (MHC) probes. Genomic DNA was digested with restriction enzymes, hybridized with a Class I or Class n probe, and analyzed for restriction fragment length polymorphisms. Digestion with Hindill or EcoRI yielded no B-L polymotphisms. Digestion with Pvull or Bgm and hybridization with a B-L or B-F probe produced polymotphisms that were shared between several haplotypes, although the baplotypes with similar patterns were clustered differently between Class I and Class n probes. The genetic variation seen forB-LandB-FprobehybridizationofPvulldigestswasmuchlessthau:thatpreviouslydemonstratedforB-G probing of PvuiT digests of the same lines. Description of MHC Class I and n restriction patterns of the wellcharacterized 15I5 B-congenic lines will aid in identification of genes important in disease resistance. (