Adaptive diversity of innate immune receptor family short pentraxins in Murinae

FEBS Lett. 2012 Mar 23;586(6):798-803. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.01.048. Epub 2012 Feb 1.

Abstract

The short pentraxins C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum amyloid P component (SAP) constitute a group of innate immune receptors that trigger immune activation by detecting molecules of the microbial cell wall. Here, we examined the evolution of short pentraxins in Murinae lineages. By molecular evolutionary analysis, CRP and SAP have been experiencing rapid diversification, driven by adaptive selection. Further, our protein modeling demonstrates that adaptively selected amino acids lie in the ligand-binding region and contact region between subunits. Our findings suggest that rapid diversification of these regions could contribute to the determinants of recognizing specificity and the interaction between subunits.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological*
  • Animals
  • C-Reactive Protein / chemistry
  • C-Reactive Protein / genetics*
  • C-Reactive Protein / immunology
  • Evolution, Molecular
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate / genetics*
  • Immunity, Innate / immunology
  • Models, Molecular
  • Murinae / genetics
  • Murinae / immunology*
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Protein Subunits / chemistry
  • Protein Subunits / genetics
  • Protein Subunits / immunology
  • Receptors, Immunologic / chemistry
  • Receptors, Immunologic / genetics*
  • Receptors, Immunologic / immunology
  • Serum Amyloid P-Component / chemistry
  • Serum Amyloid P-Component / genetics*
  • Serum Amyloid P-Component / immunology

Substances

  • Protein Subunits
  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • Serum Amyloid P-Component
  • C-Reactive Protein