Red Queen Processes Drive Positive Selection on Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) Genes.

ABSTRACT: Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes code for proteins involved in the incitation of the adaptive immune response in vertebrates, which is achieved through binding oligopeptides (antigens) of pathogenic origin. Across vertebrate species, substitutions of amino acids at sites responsible for the specificity of antigen binding (ABS) are positively selected. This is attributed to pathogen-driven balancing selection, which is also thought to maintain the high polymorphism of MHC genes, and to cause the sharing of allelic lineages between species. However, the nature of this selection remains controversial. We used individual-based computer simulations to investigate the roles of two phenomena capable of maintaining MHC polymorphism: heterozygote advantage and host-pathogen arms race (R

SUBMITTER: Ejsmond MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4658181 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature