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Remarkable Conservation of Distinct Nonclassical MHC Class I Lineages in Divergent Amphibian Species
- Source :
- The Journal of Immunology. 186:372-381
- Publication Year :
- 2011
- Publisher :
- The American Association of Immunologists, 2011.
-
Abstract
- Nonclassical MHC class Ib (class Ib) genes are heterogeneous genes encoding molecules that are structurally similar to classical MHC class Ia molecules but with limited tissue distribution and polymorphism. Mammalian class Ib genes have diverse and often uncharacterized functions, and because of their rapid rate of evolution, class Ib phylogeny is difficult to establish. We have conducted an extensive genomic, molecular, and phylogenetic characterization of class Ib genes in two Xenopodinae amphibian species of different genera that diverged from a common ancestor as long ago as primates and rodents (∼65 million years). In contrast with the unsteadiness of mammalian class Ib genes, our results reveal an unusual degree of conservation of most Xenopodinae class Ib gene lineages, including a novel monogenic lineage represented by the divergent Xenopus laevis XNC10 gene and its unequivocal Silurana (Xenopus) tropicalis orthologue, SNC10. The preferential expression of this gene lineage by thymocytes themselves from the onset of thymic organogenesis is consistent with a specialized role of class Ib in early T cell development and suggests such a function is conserved in all tetrapods.
- Subjects :
- Amphibian
Immunology
Xenopus
Article
Conserved sequence
Amphibians
Evolution, Molecular
Xenopus laevis
Phylogenetics
biology.animal
MHC class I
Animals
Immunology and Allergy
Cell Lineage
Gene
Conserved Sequence
Silurana
Mammals
Genetics
biology
Phylogenetic tree
Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
Rana pipiens
biology.organism_classification
Ambystoma mexicanum
Multigene Family
biology.protein
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15506606 and 00221767
- Volume :
- 186
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- The Journal of Immunology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....ea435f259637296781163e602bd335be