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Comparative genomics of the NKG 2D ligand gene family
Author(s) -
Kasahara Masanori,
Sutoh Yoichi
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
immunological reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.839
H-Index - 223
eISSN - 1600-065X
pISSN - 0105-2896
DOI - 10.1111/imr.12320
Subject(s) - biology , genomics , computational biology , nkg2d , genetics , comparative genomics , functional genomics , gene , evolutionary biology , genome , cytotoxicity , in vitro
Summary NKG 2D ligands ( NKG 2 DL s) are a group of stress‐inducible major histocompatibility complex ( MHC ) class I‐like molecules that act as a danger signal alerting the immune system to the presence of abnormal cells. In mammals, two families of NKG 2 DL genes have been identified: the MIC gene family encoded in the MHC region and the ULBP gene family encoded outside the MHC region in most species. Some mammals have a third family of NKG 2 DL ‐like class I genes which we named MILL ( MHC class I‐like located near the leukocyte receptor complex). Despite the fact that MILL genes are more closely related to MIC genes than ULBP genes are to MIC genes, MILL molecules do not function as NKG 2 DL s, and their function remains unknown. With the progress of mammalian genome projects, information on the MIC , ULBP , and MILL gene families became available in many mammalian species. Here, we summarize such information and discuss the origin and evolution of the NKG 2 DL gene family from the viewpoint of host–pathogen coevolution.