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Variable lymphocyte receptors in hagfish.

Zeev Pancer1, Nil Ratan Saha, Jun Kasamatsu

  • 1Division of Developmental and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|June 21, 2005
PubMed
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Jawless fish like lampreys and hagfish utilize unique variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs) for immunity. This contrasts with jawed vertebrates, highlighting ancient diversity in immune system evolution.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs) are key immune molecules in jawless fish.
  • The Sea lamprey exhibits extensive VLR repertoire generation through leucine-rich repeat (LRR) cassette insertion.
  • Jawless vertebrates represent an ancient lineage distinct from jawed vertebrates.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate VLR gene homologs in additional lamprey and hagfish species.
  • To compare VLR diversification mechanisms between jawless fish and jawed vertebrates.
  • To understand the evolutionary origins of adaptive immunity.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative genomics of VLR genes in lamprey and hagfish.
  • Analysis of VLR gene structure and potential diversification mechanisms.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Phylogenetic analysis to infer evolutionary relationships.

    • Main Results:

    • VLR homologs were identified in two additional lamprey species.
    • Two types of VLR genes (VLR-A and VLR-B) were found in hagfish.
    • Hagfish VLR genes undergo diversification in lymphocyte-like cells, similar to Sea lamprey, via an unknown mechanism.
    • Jawless fish VLR diversification contrasts sharply with Ig V(D)J recombination in jawed vertebrates.

    Conclusions:

    • Jawless fish possess distinct VLR-based immune systems that evolved independently from jawed vertebrate Ig/TCR systems.
    • The discovery of VLRs in hagfish suggests a conserved mechanism of adaptive immunity in early vertebrates.
    • Two divergent strategies for generating immune receptor diversity arose at the dawn of vertebrate evolution, underscoring the evolutionary advantage of anticipatory immunity.