Major histocompatibility complex genes partly explain early survival in house sparrows.

ABSTRACT: Environmental factors and genetic incompatibilities between parents have been suggested as important determinants for embryonic mortality and survival. The genetic set-up of the immune system, specifically the highly polymorphic major histocompatibility complex (MHC) may also influence individual resistance to infections. MHC proteins are important for an appropriate adaptive immune response and enable T-cells to separate 'self' from 'non-self'. Here we investigate the importance of MHC functional diversity for early development in birds, more specifically, if offspring survival and body mass or size depends on number of different functional MHC alleles, specific functional MHC alleles or similarity of MHC alleles in the parents. Unhatched eggs are common in clutches of many bird species.

SUBMITTER: Lukasch B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5529587 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature