DLA-DQA1 polymorphisms in dogs defined by sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOP)

Several recent studies have identified DNA sequences for alleles of the DLA-DQA1 locus in the dog. To date, 10 DQA1 alleles have been reported. No data exists on the frequencies of these alleles within the general dog population, nor is there any indication of whether alleles are breed specific. We have addressed this issue by establishing a molecular-based sequence-specific oligonucleotide probing (SSOP) method to identify all published DQA1 alleles and have used these methods to type a large number of dogs. Oligonucleotide probes were designed to detect all the polymorphic sites in exon 2. This allowed assignment at the allele level. Three hundred and thirty dogs were typed for DQA1. All but two of the published DQA1 alleles were identified in these animals. One new allele was identified, and confirmed by DNA cloning and sequencing. This typing method provides a powerful tool for generating data that will be essential for studies investigating the genetic relationships between different breeds.