Abstract
Like humans, non-human primates express the antigens A and B of the ABO histoblood group system. In chimpanzees, only A and O types are found, while the types A, B, AB, and O are found in macaques. The sequences of exons 6 and 7 of two chimpanzee O alleles (O del and O x), two macaque species O alleles (rhesus monkey and crab-eating macaque), and sequences of exon 7 of two major chimpanzee A alleles (A 1ch and A 2ch) were established. The sequences of cDNAs corresponding to the chimpanzee and rhesus monkey O alleles were characterized from exon 1 to 7 and from exon 4 to 7, respectively. A comparison of our results with ABO gene sequences already published by others demonstrates that human and non-human primate O alleles are species-specific and result from independent silencing mutations. These observations reinforce the hypothesis that the maintenance of the ABO gene polymorphism in primates reflects convergent evolution more than transpecies inheritance of ancestor alleles.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Received: 30 July 1998 / Revised: 12 December 1998
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kermarrec, N., Roubinet, F., Apoil, PA. et al. Comparison of allele O sequences of the human and non-human primate ABO system. Immunogenetics 49, 517–526 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002510050529
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002510050529