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The structure and expression of genes encoding molecules homologous to mammalian T-cell receptors (TCR) have been recently studied in ectothermic vertebrate species representative of chondrychthians, teleosts, and amphibians. The overall TCR chain structure is well conserved in phylogeny: TCR beta- and TCR alpha-like chains were detected in all the species analyzed; TCR gamma- and TCR delta-like chains were also present in a chondrychthian species. The diversity potential of the variable (V) and joining (J) segments is rather large and, as in mammals, conserved diversity (D) segments are associated to the TCR beta and TCR delta chains. An important level of junctional diversity occurred at the V-(D)-J junctions, with the potential addition of N- and P-nucleotides. Thus, the conservation of the structure and of the potential of diversity of TCR molecules have been under a permanent selective pressure during vertebrate evolution. The structure of MHC class I and class II molecules was also well conserved in jawed vertebrates. TCR and MHC molecules are strongly functionally linked and play a determinant role in the initiation and the regulation of the specific immune responses; thus, it is not surprising that their structures have been reciprocally frozen during evolution.

In humans and mice, the early development of αβ T cells is controlled by the pre-T-cell receptor α chain (pTα) that is covalently associated with the T-cell receptor β (TCRβ) chain to form the pre-T-cell receptor (pre-TCR) at the thymocyte surface. Pre-TCR functions in a ligandindependent manner through self-oligomerization mediated by pTα. Using in silico and gene synteny-based approaches, we identified the pTα gene (PTCRA) in four sauropsid (three birds and one reptile) genomes. We also identified 25 mammalian PTCRA sequences now covering all mammalian lineages. Gene synteny around PTCRA is remarkably conserved in mammals but differences upstream of PTCRA in sauropsids suggest chromosomal rearrangements. PTCRA organization is highly similar in sauropsids and mammals. However, comparative analyses of the pTα functional domains indicate that sauropsids, monotremes, marsupials, and lagomorphs display a short pTα cytoplasmic tail and lack most residues shown to be critical for human and murine pre-TCR self-oligomerization. Chicken PTCRA transcripts similar to those in mammals were detected in immature double-negative and double-positive thymocytes. These findings give clues about the evolution of this key molecule in amniotes and suggest that the ancestral function of pTα was exclusively to enable expression of the TCRβ chain at the thymocyte surface and to allow binding of pre-TCR to the CD3 complex. Together, our data provide arguments for revisiting the current model of pTα signaling.