Extremely high MHC class I variation in a population of a long-distance migrant,the Scarlet Rosefinch (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Carpodacus erythrinus</Emphasis>) |
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Authors: | M Promerová T Albrecht J Bryja |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Population Biology, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Studenec 122, 675 02 Koněšín, Czech Republic;(2) Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Viničná 7, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic |
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Abstract: | Although the number of studies focusing on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in non-model vertebrates is increasing,
results are often contradictory, and the structure of MHC is still poorly understood in wild species. Here, we describe the
structure and diversity of exon 3 of MHC class I in a passerine bird, the Scarlet Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus). Using capillary electrophoresis single-strand conformation polymorphism, we identified 82 different MHC class I variants
in one Rosefinch population nesting at one site in the Czech Republic. Thus far, this is the highest intra-populational MHC
class I variation observed in birds. We have not found support for ‘minimal essential’ MHC in this species since individuals
exhibited between three and nine different exon 3 sequences, indicating that there may be at least five amplified MHC class
I genes. By cloning, we obtained and analysed 29 exon sequences and found that all of them could be translated into potentially
functional proteins. We also show that strong positive selection appears to be acting mainly, but not only, on previously
described antigen-binding sites in MHC class I genes. Furthermore, our results indicate that recombination has played an important
role in generating genetic diversity of these genes in the Scarlet Rosefinch; we discuss the significance of this extremely
high genetic diversity in light of the life history traits of this species, such as long-distance migration.
The sequence data described in this paper are accessible in GenBank data library under accession numbers FJ392762–FJ392790. |
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Keywords: | MHC class I Scarlet Rosefinch Carpodacus erythrinus Positive selection Recombination |
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