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qKAT: Quantitative Semi-automated Typing of Killer-cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor Genes.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Jayaraman, Jyothi 
Kirgizova, Vitalina 
Di, Da 
Johnson, Christopher 

Abstract

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are a set of inhibitory and activating immune receptors, on natural killer (NK) and T cells, encoded by a polymorphic cluster of genes on chromosome 19. Their best-characterized ligands are the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules that are encoded within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) locus on chromosome 6. There is substantial evidence that they play a significant role in immunity, reproduction, and transplantation, making it crucial to have techniques that can accurately genotype them. However, high-sequence homology, as well as allelic and copy number variation, make it difficult to design methods that can accurately and efficiently genotype all KIR genes. Traditional methods are usually limited in the resolution of data obtained, throughput, cost-effectiveness, and the time taken for setting up and running the experiments. We describe a method called quantitative KIR semi-automated typing (qKAT), which is a high-throughput multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction method that can determine the gene copy numbers for all genes in the KIR locus. qKAT is a simple high-throughput method that can provide high-resolution KIR copy number data, which can be further used to infer the variations in the structurally polymorphic haplotypes that encompass them. This copy number and haplotype data can be beneficial for studies on large-scale disease associations, population genetics, as well as investigations on expression and functional interactions between KIR and HLA.

Description

Keywords

Automation, DNA Copy Number Variations, Haplotypes, Humans, Linkage Disequilibrium, Receptors, KIR, Software

Journal Title

J Vis Exp

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1940-087X
1940-087X

Volume Title

Publisher

MyJove Corporation
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (G0901682)
European Research Council (695551)