Identification of the ancestral killer immunoglobulin-like receptor gene in primates.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Killer Immunoglobulin-like Receptors (KIR) are essential immuno-surveillance molecules. They are expressed on natural killer and T cells, and interact with human leukocyte antigens. KIR genes are highly polymorphic and contribute vital variability to our immune system. Numerous KIR genes, belonging to five distinct lineages, have been identified in all primates examined thus far and shown to be rapidly evolving. Since few KIR remain orthologous between species, with only one of them, KIR2DL4, shown to be common to human, apes and monkeys, the evolution of the KIR gene family in primates remains unclear.

Results

Using comparative analyses, we have identified the ancestral KIR lineage (provisionally named KIR3DL0) in primates. We show KIR3DL0 to be highly conserved

SUBMITTER: Sambrook JG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1559706 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature