We describe a new DPB1 allele, DPB1*8501, which was identified by sequencing-based typing (SBT) in the UCLA exchange. DPB1*8501 is similar to DPB1*2701 with a difference at position 272, (G to A). This difference leads to an amino-acid change of codon 91 from arginine (CGC) to histidine (CAC). Until now this position has been considered conserved. This substitution is located at the 3' site of exon 2, and may interfere with typing strategies using primers or probes located in this region.