About this Research Topic
The MHC is a gene-dense chromosomal region unique to jawed vertebrates whose gene products present peptides to T lymphocytes and serve as ligands to NK cell receptors to initiate the immune response. The hallmark of the MHC is the high polymorphism of its classical genes, which is promoted and maintained by positive natural selection driven by pathogens. Furthermore, the MHC is a highly dynamic region showing an active process of expansion and contraction throughout vertebrate lineages. Comparative analyses of the MHC both at the genomics and populational levels are central to understanding the forces that have shaped the function and structure of the MHC in different species.
Most of the information available regarding molecules involved in tissue compatibility comes from primates, mice, and humans. In the last few years, this field has widened to include some farm animals and pets. Despite the advances in describing new alleles, which should be acknowledged, the pace at which the functional relevance of the proteins encoded by such alleles is characterized (e.g., the peptides being presented) has been slower. The goal of this Research Topic is to gather the community working on tissue compatibility (not only in vertebrates but also in invertebrates) and create a space to push forward this field, taking into account that huge technical advances that have been made in the last few years regarding next generation sequencing, bioinformatics, proteomics and in vitro assays, which are allowing the rapid expansion of available data.
This Research Topic will welcome Original Research, Reviews, and Brief Research Reports, including phylogenetic studies, proteomics, genomics, and functional approaches to understanding histocompatibility systems in non-human models.
Most of the information available regarding molecules involved in tissue compatibility comes from primates, mice, and humans. In the last few years, this field has widened to include some farm animals and pets. Despite the advances in describing new alleles, which should be acknowledged, the pace at which the functional relevance of the proteins encoded by such alleles is characterized (e.g., the peptides being presented) has been slower. The goal of this Research Topic is to gather the community working on tissue compatibility (not only in vertebrates but also in invertebrates) and create a space to push forward this field, taking into account that huge technical advances that have been made in the last few years regarding next generation sequencing, bioinformatics, proteomics and in vitro assays, which are allowing the rapid expansion of available data.
This Research Topic will welcome Original Research, Reviews, and Brief Research Reports, including phylogenetic studies, proteomics, genomics, and functional approaches to understanding histocompatibility systems in non-human models.
Keywords: Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), Tissue grafts, Transplantation, Invertebrate histocompatibility, Vertebrate histocompatibility, Comparative genetics, Immune response, Molecular evolution, Susceptibility/resistance to disease, Productive and reproductive performance
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