Molecular characterization of MHC class IIB genes of sympatric Neotropical cichlids
| Autor: | Seraina E. Bracamonte, Marta Barluenga, Christophe Eizaguirre, Melinda J. Hofmann |
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| Přispěvatelé: | Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (España), German Research Foundation |
| Rok vydání: | 2017 |
| Předmět: |
Fish Proteins
Models Molecular 0301 basic medicine Species complex Sympatric Genetic Speciation Midas cichlid fish Major histocompatibility complex Evolution Molecular Major Histocompatibility Complex 03 medical and health sciences Amphilophus Cichlid MHC class I Genetic variation Genetics Animals Genetics(clinical) Phylogeny Genetics (clinical) biology Histocompatibility Antigens Class II Genetic Variation Cichlids biology.organism_classification Neotropical Lakes Sympatry genomic DNA 030104 developmental biology Structural Homology Protein Sympatric speciation biology.protein Research Article |
| Zdroj: | Digital.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC instname BMC Genetics BMC Genetics, 18 (1). Art. No. 15. |
| ISSN: | 1471-2156 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s12863-017-0474-x |
| Popis: | [Background] The Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) is a key component of the adaptive immune system of all vertebrates and consists of the most polymorphic genes known to date. Due to this complexity, however, MHC remains to be characterized in many species including any Neotropical cichlid fish. Neotropical crater lake cichlids are ideal models to study evolutionary processes as they display one of the most convincing examples of sympatric and repeated parallel radiation events within and among isolated crater lakes. [Results] Here, we characterized the genes of MHC class IIB chain of the Midas cichlid species complex (Amphilophus cf. citrinellus) including fish from five lakes in Nicaragua. We designed 19 new specific primers anchored in a stepwise fashion in order to detect all alleles present. We obtained 866 genomic DNA (gDNA) sequences from thirteen individuals and 756 additional sequences from complementary DNA (cDNA) of seven of those individuals. We identified 69 distinct alleles with up to 25 alleles per individual. We also found considerable intron length variation and mismatches of alleles detected in cDNA and gDNA suggesting that some loci have undergone pseudogenization. Lastly, we created a model of protein structure homology for each allele and identified their key structural components. [Conclusions] Overall, the Midas cichlid has one of the most diverse repertoires of MHC class IIB genes known, which could serve as a powerful tool to elucidate the process of divergent radiations, colonization and speciation in sympatry. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad del Gobierno de España, Programa de Formación de Personal Investigador FPI BES-2011-047645 to MJH, Programa Estatal de Fomento de la Investigación Científica y Técnica de Excelencia Proyecto CGL 2010-16103 to MB. This project was further enabled through two German Science Foundation grants to CE (DFG, EI841/4-1 and EI841/6-1) both part of the SPP 1399 priority programme on “host-parasite interactions”. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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