A previously unknown HLA-C variant of the Cw*12 group was identified by PCR-SSP from genomic DNA of cell NDS-JD. Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis permitted the characterization of the complete coding region of this new allele, Cw*12042. The new variant differs from the recently reported Cw*12041 by two silent changes at exons 2 and 3, and from Cw*1203 by coding changes at codons 77 and 80. Cw*1203 (Ser-Asn) and Cw*12042 (Asn-Lys) constitute the second known example of HLA-C alleles only differing at the KIR-related dimorphism of residues 77-80. The new allele is associated in cell NDS-JD with the haplotype HLA-A*2403, Cw*12042, B*51, DRB1*1502, DRB5*0102, DQB1*0601, possibly related from the evolutionary aspect to the ancestral haplotype A*2402, Cw*1202, B*5201, DRB1*1502, DRB5*0102, DQB1*0601.