Characterisation of major histocompatibility complex class I transcripts in an Australian dragon lizard

Jessica Hacking; Terry Bertozzi; Adnan Moussalli; Tessa Bradford; Michael Gardner

doi:10.1016/j.dci.2018.02.012

Characterisation of major histocompatibility complex class I transcripts in an Australian dragon lizard

Dev Comp Immunol. 2018 Jul:84:164-171. doi: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.02.012. Epub 2018 Feb 16.

Authors

Jessica Hacking¹, Terry Bertozzi², Adnan Moussalli³, Tessa Bradford⁴, Michael Gardner⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia. Electronic address: jessica.hacking@flinders.edu.au.
² Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia. Electronic address: terry.bertozzi@samuseum.sa.gov.au.
³ Sciences Department, Museum Victoria, Carlton Gardens, VIC, 3053, Australia. Electronic address: amoussalli@museum.vic.gov.au.
⁴ College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia; Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia; School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia. Electronic address: tessa.bradford@samuseum.sa.gov.au.
⁵ College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, 5042, Australia; Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia. Electronic address: michael.gardner@flinders.edu.au.

PMID: 29454831
DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2018.02.012

Abstract

Characterisation of squamate major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes has lagged behind other taxonomic groups. MHC genes encode cell-surface glycoproteins that present self- and pathogen-derived peptides to T cells and play a critical role in pathogen recognition. Here we characterise MHC class I transcripts for an agamid lizard (Ctenophorus decresii) and investigate the evolution of MHC class I in Iguanian lizards. An iterative assembly strategy was used to identify six full-length C. decresii MHC class I transcripts, which were validated as likely to encode classical class I MHC molecules. Evidence for exon shuffling recombination was uncovered for C. decresii transcripts and Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of Iguanian MHC class I sequences revealed a pattern expected under a birth-and-death mode of evolution. This work provides a stepping stone towards further research on the agamid MHC class I region.

Keywords: Agamidae; Ctenophorus decresii; Iguania; MHC class I evolution; Transcriptome assembly.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Australia
Bayes Theorem
Biological Evolution
Evolution, Molecular
Exons / genetics
Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / genetics*
Lizards / genetics*
Lizards / immunology
Major Histocompatibility Complex / genetics*
Phylogeny
Recombination, Genetic
Transcriptome

Substances

Histocompatibility Antigens Class I