Abstract:Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genes encode for proteins that recognize foreign protein antigens to initiate T-cell mediated adaptive immune responses. They are often the most polymorphic genes in vertebrate genomes. How evolution maintains this diversity is still an unsettled issue. Three main hypotheses seek to explain the maintenance of MHC diversity by invoking pathogen-mediated selection: heterozygote advantage, frequency-dependent selection, and fluctuating selection across landscapes or through … Show more
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