Molecular Basis of Hydroid Allorecognition

这项研究的长期目标是鉴定、克隆编码同种异体识别决定因素的基因，并对其进行排序。到目前为止的工作已经表明，生产不同组织相容性反应的等基因克隆是可行的。在这一资助期间，申请者提议：1)继续对这种水母的融合性进行传递遗传学分析，2)批量生产具有不同融合性反应的等基因克隆组织，以及3)从这些组织中产生cDNA文库。这一努力将产生进行消减杂交作为分离感兴趣基因的策略所需的材料。众所周知，脊椎动物对外来组织的排斥反应具有成熟的免疫机制，但对无脊椎动物的这种机制知之甚少。这项拟议的研究代表了无脊椎动物动物学家和分子免疫学家之间的合作努力。他们的最终目标是完成对无脊椎动物自我识别(组织类型)反应中涉及的分子的第一个明确表征。这项研究的结果最终将解决长期存在的无脊椎动物和脊椎动物的系统发育关系、自我识别和免疫样防御反应的问题。

The long-range goal of this research is to identify, clone, and sequence genes encoding allorecognition determinants from the colonial hydroid, Hydractinia. Work to date has shown the feasibility of producing isogenic colonies which differ in their histocompatibility responses. During this grant period, the applicants propose to: 1) continue ongoing analysis of the transmission genetics of fusibility in this hydroid, 2) produce, in bulk, tissues from isogenic colonies which differ in their fusibility responses, and 3) generate cDNA libraries from these tissues. This effort will yield the materials necessary to pursue subtractive hybridization as a strategy for isolating the genes of interest. It is well known that vertebrate animals have well developed immune mechanisms for rejection of foreign tissues, but little is known about such mechanisms in invertebrates. The proposed research represents a collaborative effort between an invertebrate zoologist and a molecular immunologist. Their ultimate goal is to accomplish the first unambiguous characterization of the molecules involved in an invertebrate self-recognition (tissue-type) response. The results of this research ultimately should resolve the long- standing question of the phylogenetic relationships of invertebrate and vertebrate self-recognition and immune-like defense responses.