Comparative Analysis of the MHC Class III Inflammatory Region in Tammar Wallaby
Author Information
Author(s): Janine E Deakin, Anthony T Papenfuss, Katherine Belov, Joseph GR Cross, Penny Coggill, Sophie Palmer, Sarah Sims, Terence P Speed, Stephan Beck, Jennifer A Marshall Graves
Primary Institution: ARC Centre for Kangaroo Genomics, The Australian National University
Hypothesis
If gene content and arrangement within the inflammatory region is important for function, we would expect that the same genes would be clustered in other species as well.
Conclusion
The study shows that a cluster of MHC genes involved in inflammation has remained together for over 450 million years, indicating significant evolutionary conservation.
Supporting Evidence
- Fourteen Class III genes from the tammar wallaby inflammatory region were characterised and compared to their orthologues in other vertebrates.
- Eight genes within the inflammatory region have remained tightly clustered for at least 360 million years.
- Analysis identified 354 conserved elements covering 15.6% of the inflammatory region.
Takeaway
Scientists studied genes that help the immune system in wallabies and found that these genes have stayed similar for a very long time, which is important for understanding how they work.
Methodology
The study involved sequencing a 165 kb BAC containing a portion of the tammar wallaby MHC Class III region and comparing it with orthologues in other vertebrates.
Limitations
The study does not provide a complete sequence for all genes, such as MIC, and lacks data on some species.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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