Allelic diversity and selection at the MHC class I and class II in a bottlenecked bird of prey, the White-tailed Eagle.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) are essential for adaptive immune response in vertebrates, as they encode receptors that recognize peptides derived from the processing of intracellular (MHC class I) and extracellular (MHC class II) pathogens. High MHC diversity in natural populations is primarily generated and maintained by pathogen-mediated diversifying and balancing selection. It is, however, debated whether selection at the MHC can counterbalance the effects of drift in bottlenecked populations. The aim of this study was to assess allelic diversity of MHC genes in a recently bottlenecked bird of prey, the White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla, as well as to compare mechanisms that shaped the evolution of MHC class I and class II in this species.<

SUBMITTER: Minias P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6321662 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature