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Key Words: Hemagglutinin Hemolysin Korean ascidian Two kinds of humoral factors were observed in 2 orders, 7 families, 10 genera, and 15 different species of Korean ascidians. They are the naturally occuring hemagglutinins and/or hemolysins against human erythrocytes A, B, and 0. All but two species showed aggregative activity, although there were considerable variations in titer. The weak agglutinating and lytic activities were increased in the presence of Ca ++

Aim: Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes constitute a multigene family whose genomic diversity is achieved through variation in gene content and allelic polymorphism within individual KIR genes. We previously analyzed KIR haplotypes in 77 Korean families based on the presence or absence of 16 KIR genes and pseudogenes and subtypes of 4 genes (3DP1, 3DP1v; 2DL1, 2DL1v; expressed and nonexpressed variant of 2DL5; full length and deleted form of 2DS4): a total of 29 different KIR genotypes, and 19 (2 group A and 17 group B) haplotypes were identified (Whang DH et al. Hum Immunol 2005;66:146-54). In the present study we examined allelic polymorphism and haplotypic associations of KIR2DL4, 3DL1 and 3DL2 genes, located on the telomeric half of KIR haplotypes.Methods: A total of 352 members of 77 Korean families were analyzed for KIR2DL4, 3DL1 and 3DL2 genes at allelic level by use of PCR-SSP method as previously described (Yawata M et al. J Exp Med 2006; 203:633-45). Three-locus KIR haplotypes at allelic level were examined by segregation analysis.Scope: A total of 6 different KIR2DL4, 5 different KIR3DL1, and 9 different KIR3DL2 alleles were detected (Table). KIR2DL4*00102 (allele frequency 55.8%), KIR3DL1*01502 (55.5%), and KIR3DL2*002 (56.8%) were most common alleles, as reported in the Japanese (44.9%, 45.7%, and 46.1%, respectively). Haplotype analysis revealed 24 distinct KIR2DL4-3DL1-3DL2 haplotypes at allelic level, among which 6 haplotypes were found at frequencies Ͼ2% (Table). Previously detected 2 different group A (A1 with full length form of 2DS4, 53.9%; A2 with deleted form of 2DS4, 19.5%) and 17 different group B (26.6%) haplotypes were diversified into 18 (A137, A2311)and 25 different haplotypes, respectively. Group A2 haplotype showed higher degree of diversification compared with group A1 haplotype.Conclusions: Our result supports the view that group A and group B haplotypes are diversified mainly by allelic polymorphisms and differences in gene content, respectively. The KIR locus appears to be polygenic and polymorphic within the human population.