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Trans-Species Polymorphism in Immune Genes: General Pattern or MHC-Restricted Phenomenon?
Martin Těšický1, Michal Vinkler1
1Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Viničná 7, 128 44 Praha, Czech Republic.
Journal of Immunology Research
|June 20, 2015
Summary
Trans-species polymorphism (TSP) explains how immune gene variations persist across species over millions of years. This review shows TSP is not limited to the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) and is vital for understanding immune evolution.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Immunology
- Genetics
Background:
- Immune system variation is high, often driven by host-pathogen interactions and diversifying selection.
- Genetic polymorphism in immune genes can be ancient, predating current species, explained by trans-species polymorphism (TSP).
- Current research on TSP predominantly focuses on the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review evidence for TSP in both human and animal immune genes beyond the MHC.
- To highlight the broader applicability of TSP as an evolutionary pattern in immunology.
- To guide future research directions in immune gene evolution.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies investigating trans-species polymorphism in immune genes.
- Synthesis of evidence from human and animal studies.
- Analysis of evolutionary patterns in immune gene variation.
Main Results:
- Trans-species polymorphism (TSP) is not exclusive to the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) but is also observed in other immune genes.
- Evidence supports the maintenance and sharing of functionally important immune alleles across species through balancing selection.
- Ancient adaptive variation in immune genes is a widespread phenomenon.
Conclusions:
- TSP is a significant evolutionary pattern applicable to a wide range of immune genes, not just MHC.
- Future research should investigate TSP in innate immune genes, particularly pattern recognition receptors.
- Distinguishing TSP from convergent evolution and adaptive introgression is crucial for accurate evolutionary interpretations and identifying disease-resistance alleles in evolutionary medicine.
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