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What chickens might tell us about the MHC class II system

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Parker, A 

Abstract

Almost all knowledge about the structure and function of MHC class II molecules outside of mammals comes from work with chickens. Most of the genes implicated in the class II system are present in chickens, so it is likely that the machinery of antigen processing and peptide-loading is similar to mammals. However, there is only one isotype (lineage) of classical class II genes, with one monomorphic DR-like BLA gene and two polymorphic BLB genes, located near one DMA and two DMB genes. The DMB2 and BLB2 genes are widely expressed at high levels, whereas the DMB1 and BLB1 genes are only expressed at highest levels in spleen and intestine, suggesting the possibility of two class II systems in chickens.

Description

Keywords

Alleles, Animals, Antigen Presentation, Chickens, Epitopes, Evolution, Molecular, Gene Expression, Histocompatibility Antigens Class I, Histocompatibility Antigens Class II, Humans, Immunity, Mammals, Organ Specificity, Peptides, Polymorphism, Genetic

Journal Title

Current Opinion in Immunology

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0952-7915
1879-0372

Volume Title

46

Publisher

Elsevier
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (089305/Z/09/Z)
Wellcome Trust (110106/Z/15/Z)
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/D526096/1)
This work was supported by a Wellcome Trust programme grant [0 89305/Z/09/Z] and a Wellcome Trust Investigator Award [110106/Z/15/Z] to JK, and the “Gut Health and Food Safety” BBSRC Institute Strategic Programme [BB/J004529/1] for AP.