EVOLUTION OF THE MAJOR HISTOCOMPATIBILITY COMPLEX

主要组织相容性复合体（MHC）编码提供以下功能的分子： T淋巴细胞识别抗原的背景。由于其 在个体免疫反应中的中心作用，已经研究了MHC 免疫学家和遗传学家广泛研究。然而，信息 关于它的进化是很少的，主要限于灵长类动物和少数 啮齿类动物拟议项目的总体目标是研究 用分子克隆技术研究低等脊椎动物的MHC。具体目标是 建议有三个方面：第一，组织一个非洲的MHC 爪蟾将使用最近分离的I类cDNA进行研究 克隆作为起始材料。第二，MHC表达的调节， 个体发育，特别是在变态，将在各种研究 包括非洲爪蟾和蝾螈的两栖动物。第三，用非洲爪蟾 作为垫脚石，更原始物种的MHC基因（鲨鱼， 七鳃鳗和被囊动物）将被分离。 Xenopus显然是一个“高连通性”模型。获得的信息 这项研究将进一步增强其作为模式生物的连通性 用于生物医学研究。在免疫学方面， 来自原始物种的MHC基因的特征应该提供一个线索 MHC的原始功能，并增加我们对MHC的认识。 免疫力的进化。

The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) encodes molecules that provide a context for the recognition of antigen by T lymphocytes. Because of its central role in individuals' immune response, the MHC has been studied extensively by immunologists and geneticists. However, the information concerning its evolution is scant and largely limited to primates and a few rodent species. The overall goal of the proposed project is to study the MHCs of lower vertebrates by molecular cloning. The specific aims of this proposal are threefold: First, the organization of the MHC of an African clawed frog Xenopus will be studied using a recently isolated class I cDNA clone as a starting material. Second, the regulation of MHC expression in ontogeny, in particular, in metamorphosis, will be studied in various amphibian species including Xenopus and axolotl. And third, using Xenopus as a stepping stone, the MHC genes of more primitive species (shark, lamprey, and tunicates) will be isolated. Xenopus is clearly a "high connectivity" model. The information obtained from this study should further enhance its connectivity as a model organism for biomedical research. In terms of immunology, the isolation and characterization of MHC genes from primitive species should provide a clue to the primordial function of the MHC, and increase our knowledge about the evolution of immunity.