Journal article

Susceptibility of amphibians to chytridiomycosis is associated with MHC class II conformation

Arnaud Bataille, Scott D Cashins, Laura Grogan, Lee F Skerratt, David Hunter, Michael McFadden, Benjamin Scheele, Laura A Brannelly, Amy Macris, Peter S Harlow, Sara Bell, Lee Berger, Bruce Waldman

PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES | ROYAL SOC | Published : 2015

Abstract

The pathogenic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) can cause precipitous population declines in its amphibian hosts. Responses of individuals to infection vary greatly with the capacity of their immune system to respond to the pathogen. We used a combination of comparative and experimental approaches to identify major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) alleles encoding molecules that foster the survival of Bd-infected amphibians. We found that Bd-resistant amphibians across four continents share common amino acids in three binding pockets of the MHC-II antigen-binding groove. Moreover, strong signals of selection acting on these specific sites were evident among all ..

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Grants

Awarded by National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) - Government of the Republic of Korea (MSIP)


Awarded by Australian Research Council


Funding Acknowledgements

The research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea (MSIP) (grant nos. 2010-0002767, 2012R1A1A2044449 and 2012K1A2B1A03000496 to B.W.), by Seoul National University (Brain Fusion Program, Brain Korea 21 Program and New Faculty Resettlement Fund grants to B.W.) and by the Australian Biosecurity CRC for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Australian Research Council (grant nos. FT100100375, LP110200240 and DP120100811 to L.F.S. and L.B.).