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Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity01:26

Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity

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An antigen is any substance the immune system identifies as foreign and potentially harmful to the body, prompting an immune response. Antigens have two functional properties: immunogenicity and reactivity. Immunogenicity is the ability of an antigen to stimulate a specific immune response. At the same time, reactivity describes the antigen's ability to react with the cells and antibodies produced in response to it.
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Antigen receptors are essential components of the immune system crucial in defending the body against foreign invaders. These receptors are present on the surface of B and T cells, enabling them to recognize antigens and mount an appropriate immune response.
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The evolution of new genes is critical for speciation. Exon recombination, also known as exon shuffling or domain shuffling, is an important means of new gene formation. It is observed across vertebrates, invertebrates, and in some plants such as potatoes and sunflowers. During exon recombination, exons from the same or different genes recombine and produce new exon-intron combinations, which might evolve into new genes. 
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CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats is a adaptive immune system found in bacteria and archaea that protects against viral infections. This system enables prokaryotic cells to identify, remember, and neutralize foreign genetic elements, primarily bacteriophages, by storing fragments of the invader’s DNA as a genetic memory.The CRISPR immune response begins during an initial infection. Cas (CRISPR-associated) proteins play a central role in this...
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SMC-based immunity against extrachromosomal DNA elements.

Hon Wing Liu1, Florian Roisné-Hamelin1, Stephan Gruber1

  • 1Department of Fundamental Microbiology (DMF), Faculty of Biology and Medicine (FBM), University of Lausanne (UNIL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.

Biochemical Society Transactions
|August 16, 2023
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Structural Maintenance of Chromosome (SMC) complexes maintain genome integrity and also defend against foreign DNA. This review explores how these dual roles in DNA maintenance and immunity are achieved by SMC-like systems.

Keywords:
Rad50SMC complexeschromosome foldingdefence systemsgenome maintenance

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Structural Maintenance of Chromosome (SMC) and SMC-like complexes are crucial for chromosome folding and genome maintenance across all life domains.
  • These complexes have recently been identified as key players in cellular immunity against foreign DNA, acting as defense systems.
  • Examples include Wadjet and Lamassu in bacteria/archaea (anti-plasmid/phage) and Smc5/6 and Rad50 in humans (anti-viral).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To address the paradox of SMC complexes simultaneously maintaining chromosomal DNA and restricting foreign DNA.
  • To review the latest understanding of SMC(-like) complexes in cellular immunity.
  • To speculate on how SMC(-like) functions explain the recognition of linear and circular foreign DNA.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent studies on SMC complexes in genome maintenance and immunity.
  • Comparative analysis of bacterial, archaeal, and human SMC(-like) systems.
  • Theoretical discussion on the functional principles underlying DNA recognition by these complexes.

Main Results:

  • SMC(-like) complexes exhibit diverse roles in defending against various foreign DNA elements, including plasmids, phages, and viruses.
  • The conserved nature of SMC(-like) complexes suggests fundamental mechanisms for DNA interaction and discrimination.
  • Speculative models propose how the biophysical properties of SMC(-like) complexes enable recognition of different DNA topologies.

Conclusions:

  • SMC(-like) complexes possess a dual capacity for maintaining genomic stability and executing innate immune responses against foreign DNA.
  • Understanding the mechanistic basis of foreign DNA recognition by SMC(-like) systems is crucial for comprehending cellular defense strategies.
  • Further research into the structure-function relationships of these complexes could reveal novel therapeutic targets for infectious diseases.