Evidence of a Lytic Pathway in an Invertebrate Complement System: Identification of a Terminal Complement Complex Gene in a Colonial Tunicate and Its Evolutionary Implications.

ABSTRACT: The complement system is a pivotal component of innate immunity, extensively studied in vertebrates but also present in invertebrates. This study explores the existence of a terminal complement pathway in the tunicate Botryllus schlosseri, aiming to understand the evolutionary integration of innate and adaptive immunity. Through transcriptome analysis, we identified a novel transcript, BsITCCP, encoding a protein with both MACPF and LDLa domains-a structure resembling that of vertebrate C9 but with a simpler organization. Phylogenetic reconstruction positions BsITCCP between invertebrate perforins and vertebrate terminal complement proteins, suggesting an evolutionary link. Localization studies confirmed that bsitccp is transcribed in cytotoxic morula cells (MCs), which are a

SUBMITTER: Ballarin L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11593599 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature