Gene loss and co-option of toll-like receptors facilitate paternal immunological adaptation in the brood pouch of pregnant male seahorses
Bo Zhang,
Wanghong Xiao,
Geng Qin
et al.
Abstract:Male pregnancy in syngnathids (seahorses, pipefishes, and sea dragons) is an evolutionary innovation in the animal kingdom. Paternal immune resistance to the fetus is a critical challenge, particularly in seahorses with fully enclosed brood pouches and sophisticated placentas. In this study, comparative genomic analysis revealed that all syngnathid species lost three vertebrate-conserved Toll-like receptors (TLR1, TLR2, and TLR9), of which all play essential roles in immune protection and immune tolerance in t… Show more
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