Genetic Variation at Exon 2 of the MHC Class II DQB Locus in Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) from the Gulf of California.
The genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) play an important role in the vertebrate immune response and are among the most polymorphic genes known in vertebrates. In some marine mammals, MHC genes have been shown to be characterized by low levels of polymorphism compared to terrestrial...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:c1756eb3902d49a5a6e1bff74e739a22 2023-05-15T15:36:20+02:00 Genetic Variation at Exon 2 of the MHC Class II DQB Locus in Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) from the Gulf of California. Diana D Moreno-Santillán Eileen A Lacey Diane Gendron Jorge Ortega 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0141296 https://doaj.org/article/c1756eb3902d49a5a6e1bff74e739a22 EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4712016?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0141296 https://doaj.org/article/c1756eb3902d49a5a6e1bff74e739a22 PLoS ONE, Vol 11, Iss 1, p e0141296 (2016) Medicine R Science Q article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0141296 2022-12-31T11:33:54Z The genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) play an important role in the vertebrate immune response and are among the most polymorphic genes known in vertebrates. In some marine mammals, MHC genes have been shown to be characterized by low levels of polymorphism compared to terrestrial taxa; this reduction in variation is often explained as a result of lower pathogen pressures in marine habitats. To determine if this same reduction in variation applies to the migratory population of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) that occurs in the Gulf of California, we genotyped a 172 bp fragment of exon 2 of the MHC Class II DQB locus for 80 members of this population. Twenty-two putatively functional DQB allotypes were identified, all of which were homologous with DQB sequences from other cetacean species. Up to 5 putative alleles per individual were identified, suggesting that gene duplication has occurred at this locus. Rates of non-synonymous to synonymous substitutions (ω) and maximum likelihood analyses of models of nucleotide variation provided potential evidence of ongoing positive selection at this exon. Phylogenetic analyses of DQB alleles from B. musculus and 16 other species of cetaceans revealed trans-specific conservation of MHC variants, suggesting that selection has acted on this locus over prolonged periods of time. Collectively our findings reveal that immunogenic variation in blue whales is comparable to that in terrestrial mammals, thereby providing no evidence that marine taxa are subject to reduced pathogen-induced selective pressures. Article in Journal/Newspaper Balaenoptera musculus Blue whale Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles PLOS ONE 11 1 e0141296 |
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Medicine R Science Q Diana D Moreno-Santillán Eileen A Lacey Diane Gendron Jorge Ortega Genetic Variation at Exon 2 of the MHC Class II DQB Locus in Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) from the Gulf of California. |
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Medicine R Science Q |
description |
The genes of the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) play an important role in the vertebrate immune response and are among the most polymorphic genes known in vertebrates. In some marine mammals, MHC genes have been shown to be characterized by low levels of polymorphism compared to terrestrial taxa; this reduction in variation is often explained as a result of lower pathogen pressures in marine habitats. To determine if this same reduction in variation applies to the migratory population of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) that occurs in the Gulf of California, we genotyped a 172 bp fragment of exon 2 of the MHC Class II DQB locus for 80 members of this population. Twenty-two putatively functional DQB allotypes were identified, all of which were homologous with DQB sequences from other cetacean species. Up to 5 putative alleles per individual were identified, suggesting that gene duplication has occurred at this locus. Rates of non-synonymous to synonymous substitutions (ω) and maximum likelihood analyses of models of nucleotide variation provided potential evidence of ongoing positive selection at this exon. Phylogenetic analyses of DQB alleles from B. musculus and 16 other species of cetaceans revealed trans-specific conservation of MHC variants, suggesting that selection has acted on this locus over prolonged periods of time. Collectively our findings reveal that immunogenic variation in blue whales is comparable to that in terrestrial mammals, thereby providing no evidence that marine taxa are subject to reduced pathogen-induced selective pressures. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Diana D Moreno-Santillán Eileen A Lacey Diane Gendron Jorge Ortega |
author_facet |
Diana D Moreno-Santillán Eileen A Lacey Diane Gendron Jorge Ortega |
author_sort |
Diana D Moreno-Santillán |
title |
Genetic Variation at Exon 2 of the MHC Class II DQB Locus in Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) from the Gulf of California. |
title_short |
Genetic Variation at Exon 2 of the MHC Class II DQB Locus in Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) from the Gulf of California. |
title_full |
Genetic Variation at Exon 2 of the MHC Class II DQB Locus in Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) from the Gulf of California. |
title_fullStr |
Genetic Variation at Exon 2 of the MHC Class II DQB Locus in Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) from the Gulf of California. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Genetic Variation at Exon 2 of the MHC Class II DQB Locus in Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) from the Gulf of California. |
title_sort |
genetic variation at exon 2 of the mhc class ii dqb locus in blue whale (balaenoptera musculus) from the gulf of california. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0141296 https://doaj.org/article/c1756eb3902d49a5a6e1bff74e739a22 |
genre |
Balaenoptera musculus Blue whale |
genre_facet |
Balaenoptera musculus Blue whale |
op_source |
PLoS ONE, Vol 11, Iss 1, p e0141296 (2016) |
op_relation |
http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4712016?pdf=render https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0141296 https://doaj.org/article/c1756eb3902d49a5a6e1bff74e739a22 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0141296 |
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PLOS ONE |
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11 |
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1 |
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e0141296 |
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1766366679754866688 |