Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II DQ Alpha 1 (MHCDQa1)

Major histocompatibility complex, class II, DQ alpha 1 is one of two proteins that are required to form the DQ heterodimer, a cell surface receptor essential to the function of the immune system.HLA-DQA1 belongs to the HLA class II alpha chain paralogues. This class II molecule is a heterodimer consisting of an alpha (DQA) and a beta chain (DQB), both anchored in the membrane. It plays a central role in the immune system by presenting peptides derived from extracellular proteins. Class II molecules are expressed in antigen-presenting cells (APC: B lymphocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages).The alpha chain contains 5 exons. Exon one encodes the leader peptide, exons 2 and 3 encode the two extracellular protein domains, exon 4 encodes the transmembrane domain and the cytoplasmic tail.