Interaction Between Alleles Affecting Cellular Antigens Following a Species Cross in Columbidae

Abstract

By mating inter se back-cross hybrids from a cross between C. livia and C. guinea, offspring were homozygous for the cellular antigen C, which is specific to guinea. A contrasting substance called C1 is present in livia. Homozygotes could be distinguished from heterozygotes by both serological and progeny tests. 12 antisera produced in rabbits against the cells of the homozygotes CC reacted with the cells of guinea, the homozygotes (CC) and heterozygotes (CC1) but not with the ClCl cells of livia. When absorbed with an excess of cells of CC or CCl they were depleted of antibodies, whereas with ClC1 they provided C-specific reagents. 13 antisera produced against the cells of CC1 also reacted with cells of guinea, CC and CC1 and were depleted of antibodies after absorptions with cells of CCl. However, when absorbed with an excess of pooled cells of 2 or more homozygotes CC, they became anti-C1 reagents, reacting strongly with cells of livia and of CC1 but not with cells of guinea or of CC. Ten of these 13 antisera were completely depleted of antibodies when absorbed (a) with pooled cells of livia and guinea or (b) with pooled cells of livia and CC. Of the 3 remaining antisera similarly absorbed, 2 reacted weakly only with CC1 cells and 1 reacted strongly only with CC1 cells. The hybrid substance associated with heterozygotes CC1 when tested further agglutinated the cells of 93 heterozygotes CCl and of 35 offspring (CC1) of matings between livia and homozygotes CC, but none of the cells in the other 3 groups were affected (90 livia, 7 guinea, 55 homozygotes CC). No such hybrid substance was demonstrated for the other 4 antigenic substances, A, B, E and F. Since the Ring dove has a C-like substance, hybrids from matings of livia (C1Cl) and Ring dove were tested for the relationship of a hybrid substance to that of heterozygotes CC1. No agglutination was observed when the reagent for the CC1 hybrid substance was tested with cells of 6 hybrids from mating livia and Ring dove, indicating that Ring dove does not have the gene or genes of guinea which interact with those of livia to give a new antigenic specificity. The hybrid substance of the CC1 heterozygote may be due to some type of genie interaction of alleles producing C and C1 resp.,or of other genes on the same chromosomes.