research worker looking into a 30 - yr - onetime mystery surrounding a rare antigen have discovered a new origin group system promise Er .
Your bloodtypeis determined by the presence or absence seizure of specific antigen , with the main case people know being A , B , O , and AB ( positive degree and negatives ) . However , bloodgroupsare slightly unlike .
" The term ' bloodline group ' refers to the entire blood group system , " a2014 paper on the topic explain , " contain scarlet blood electric cell antigens whose specificity is control by a series of genes . "
In all , there are 44 line grouping systems , with the tardy having just been discovered by scientist at the University of Bristol . There are this many mathematical group because there are many ways of grouping red blood cells based on the antigen on their surface . The team were investigating a somewhat common collection of crimson cell antigen named Er . Despite first being discovered nearly 40 years ago , these antigens did not meet into any known pedigree group system of rules .
In the study , people with alloantibodies ( antibodiesspecifically producedfollowing exposure to alien red blood mobile phone antigens ) for Er antigens had their cistron - coding DNA sequences analyzed .
The squad foundchanges in the cistron codingfor the protein Piezo1 which would cause an altered protein on the Earth’s surface of red blood mobile phone in these individuals . By using gene editing on a cubicle melodic phrase , they were able to prove that the Piezo1 protein was necessary for Er antigen expression , and establish that Er was its own bloodline group systemcomprising ofpreviously recognized Era , Erb and Er3 antigens , plus two fresh " mellow incidence " Er antigens called Er4 and Er5 .
The comportment of alloantibodies can cause problem during blood transfusion if there is a mismatch between donor and receiver , as well as actuate attacks on the resistant system during maternity . The two new antigen , Er4 and Er5 , are connect with severe hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn . During the study , two pregnant women with alloantibody to the new describe antigens miscarry , consort to a press release . Research like this could help acquire tests for rarified rakehell group types , optimize fear for such patient role .
" This work demonstrates that even after all the research conduct to date , the simple reddish blood cell can still surprise us , " Professor of Cell Biology at the University of Bristol , Ash Toye , say in a press release .
" Piezo proteins are mechanosensory proteins that are used by the crimson cell to feel when its being squeezed . The protein is present at only a few hundred copies in the tissue layer of each cellphone . This study really highlights the possible antigenicity of even very lowly expressed proteins and their relevance for blood transfusion medicine . ”
This newspaper publisher waspublished in Blood , the journal of the American Society of Hematology .
