Model for the Rh Blood Group System Based on Discontinuous Gene Structure

A model of the Rh blood group system is proposed which is based on discontinuous gene structure. The R29 control subregion consists of a single exon flanked by introns. Following the R29 subregion, the R1 subregion exists as seven exon structures which alternate with introns. The expression of each exon is controlled by flanking introns. A separate exon-intron structure controls expression of the Rh: -1 phenotype. Differential gene expression is controlled by intron sequences and complementary splicer RNA sequences encoded by unlinked loci.