Molecular cloning, characterization and gene expression of the full length cDNA encoding the porcine CD11b(αM) and chromosomal localization of the porcine CD11a(αL)-CD11b(αM)-CD11b(αD) gene cluster.

CD11b (α(M)) is a cell-surface glycoprotein mainly expressed on myeloid cells, required for important interactions during the immune response and involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases. The full length cDNA encoding porcine CD11b protein has been cloned and sequenced. Pig CD11b cDNA sequence contains an ORF of 3459 nucleotides that encodes a deduced polypeptide of 1152 amino acid residues that share with CD11b from other species: High % amino acid identity, common domains (α-I, Ca(++) binding, MIDAS), N-glycosylation sites, and the seven FG-GAP tandem repeats. Real time quantitative PCR expression analysis revealed that CD11b transcripts were highly expressed in neutrophils, showing a lower expression in spleen. The CD11a-CD11b-CD11c gene cluster locates on the porcine chromosome region SSC3p15-17.