Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Using Phylogenetic Analysis to Investigate Eukaryotic Gene Origin
Published on: August 14, 2018
Reconstructing immune phylogeny: new perspectives
Gary W Litman1, John P Cannon, Larry J Dishaw
1Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida College of Medicine, All Children's Hospital Children's Research Institute, 830 First Street South, Saint Petersburg, Florida 33701, USA. litmang@allkids.org
Abstract:
Numerous studies of the mammalian immune system have begun to uncover profound interrelationships, as well as fundamental differences, between the adaptive and innate systems of immune recognition. Coincident with these investigations, the increasing experimental accessibility of non-mammalian jawed vertebrates, jawless vertebrates, protochordates and invertebrates has provided intriguing new information regarding the likely patterns of emergence of immune-related molecules during metazoan phylogeny, as well as the evolution of alternative mechanisms for receptor diversification. Such findings blur traditional distinctions between adaptive and innate immunity and emphasize that, throughout evolution, the immune system has used a remarkably extensive variety of solutions to meet fundamentally similar requirements for host protection.
Related Concept Videos
Microbial Phylogeny
Phylogeny
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
Phylogenetic Species Concept in Microbiology
The Tree of Life - Bacteria, Archaea, Eukaryotes
Phylogenetic Trees

