The evolution of the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IgV(H)) in Leporids: an unusual case of transspecies polymorphism

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2005

Authors

Esteves, PJ (Author) Other; Lanning, D (Author) Other; ferrand, n (Author) FCUP; Knight, KL (Author) Other; Zhai, SK (Author) Other; van der Loo, W (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Immunogenetics

Vol. 57

Pages: 874-882

ISSN: 0093-7711

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 30 Citations

Scopus - 30 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-087

DOI: 10.1007/s00251-005-0022-0

Abstract (EN): In domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), three serological types have been distinguished at the variable domain of the antibody H chain, the so-called V (H)a allotypes a1, a2, and a3. They correspond to highly divergent allelic lineages of the V (H)1 gene, which is the gene rabbit utilizes in more than 80% of VDJ rearrangements. The sharing of serological V (H)a markers between rabbit and snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) has suggested that the large genetic distances between rabbit V (H)1 alleles (9-14% nucleotide differences) can be explained by unusually long lineage persistence times (transspecies polymorphism). Because this interpretation of the serological data is uncertain, we have determined the nucleotide sequences of V (H) genes expressed in specimens of Lepus species. Two sequence groups were distinguished, one of which occurred only in hare specimen displaying serological motifs of the rabbit V (H)a-a2 allotype. Sequences of this group are part of a monophyletic cluster containing the V (H)1 sequences of the rabbit a2 allotype. The fact that this "transspecies a2 cluster" did not include genes of other rabbit V (H)a allotypes (a1, a3, and a4) is incompatible with the existence of a common V (H)a ancestor gene within the species, and suggests that the divergence of the V (H)a lineages preceded the Lepus vs Oryctolagus split. The sequence data are furthermore compatible with the hypothesis that the V (H) a polymorphism can be two times older than the divergence time between the Lepus and Oryctolagus lineages, which was estimated at 16-24 million years.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 9