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Possible roles for products of polymorphic MHC and linked olfactory receptor genes during selection processes in
Andreas Ziegler1, Gotrfried Dohr, Barbara Uchanska-Ziegler
1Institut für Immungenetik, Universitätsklinikum Charité, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Germany. andreas.ziegler@charite.de
Problem:
Polymorphic genes of the human major histocompatibility complex [MHC; human leukocyte antigen (HLA)] are probably important in determining resistance to parasites and avoidance of inbreeding. We investigated whether HLA-associated sexual selection could also involve HLA-linked olfactory receptor (OR) genes, which might not only participate in olfaction-guided mate choice, but also in selection processes within the testis.
Method Of Study:
The testicular expression status of HLA class I molecules (by immunohistology) and HLA-linked OR genes (by transcriptional analysis) was determined.
Results:
Various HLA class I heavy chains, but not beta2-microglobulin (beta2m), were expressed, mainly at the spermatocyte I stage. Of 17 HLA-linked OR genes analyzed, eight were found to be transcribed in the testis. They exhibited varying numbers of 5'- or 3'-non-coding exons as well as differential splicing.
Conclusions:
We suggest that testis-expressed polymorphic HLA and OR proteins are functionally connected and serve the selection of spermatozoa, enabling them to distinguish 'self from 'non-self [the sperm-receptor-selection (SRS) hypothesis].