Major Histocompatibility Complex database (dbMHC)

The dbMHC database provides an open, publicly accessible platform for DNA, and clinical data related to the human Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC). The need to share research and clinical data focused on the MHC has lead to a series of meetings at the International HLA WorkShop & Congress (IHWC). The data generated from the 13th IHWC is presented at NCBI in dbMHC. In addition, the dbMHC will provide tools for submission and analysis of research data linked to the MHC. Users can access dbMHC at:

The dbMHC is divided into two main sections, a Reagent Database section and a Clinical section. The Reagent database contains the reagent data needed to trace DNA typing. This section provides an open platform for the submission, evaluation, and editing of individual reagent specifications of Sequence Specific Oligonucleotides and Sequence Specific Primers as well as typing kit information. All reagents are characterized for allele specificity using the current curated World Health Organization HLA allele database in cooperation with IMGT/HLA.

The dbMHC offers several resources for the analysis and display of the MHC and KIR region, e.g. an interactive formatting sequence retrieval tool, and a Sequencing Based Typing tool, capable of aligning and interpreting heterozygote sequences. The database resource also features dbMHCms, a tool to search descriptive information for known short tandem repeats within the MHC.

The Clinical section will contain anonymous clinical data from individuals taking part in MHC-related research projects in the general categories of Anthropology, Cytokine Polymorphisms, HLA-E,F,G, Cancer, Disease, HLA Alloantibodies & Kidney Graft Rejection, Mycobacterial Disease, New Allele Registry, Hemochromatosis/ Psoriasis, and Virtual DNA Analysis. The data for these projects will be made available in the near future.

A graphical view of the MHC region of human chromosome 6, shown in Figure 1, is also provided. The graphic highlights the MHC genes in the region and provides links to related resources for each gene. The particular resource to which the graphic is linked is selected using a pull-down menu. Available resources include the Map Viewer, dbSNP, Entrez nucleotides and Entrez proteins and others, however, the default resource is the new dbMHC Alignment Viewer that displays alignments between MHC genes belonging to various haplotypes.—WH

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Figure 1: Graphical view of the human MHC region on chromosome 6. MHC genes are marked and are linked to one of the related resource selected using the pull-down menu.