Rapid evolution of NK cell receptor systems demonstrated by comparison of chimpanzees and humans

Immunity. 2000 Jun;12(6):687-98. doi: 10.1016/s1074-7613(00)80219-8.

Abstract

That NK cell receptors engage fast-evolving MHC class I ligands suggests that they, too, evolve rapidly. To test this hypothesis, the structure and class I specificity of chimpanzee KIR and CD94:NKG2 receptors were determined and compared to their human counterparts. The KIR families are divergent, with only three KIR conserved between chimpanzees and humans. By contrast, CD94:NKG2 receptors are conserved. Whereas receptors for polymorphic class I are divergent, those for nonpolymorphic class I are conserved. Although chimpanzee and human NK cells exhibit identical receptor specificities for MHC-C, they are mediated by nonorthologous KIR. These results demonstrate the rapid evolution of NK cell receptor systems and imply that "catching up" with class I is not the only force driving this evolution.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / chemistry
  • Binding Sites, Antibody
  • Binding, Competitive / immunology
  • Cell Lineage / genetics
  • Cell Lineage / immunology
  • Clone Cells
  • Conserved Sequence
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / metabolism*
  • Lectins, C-Type*
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / chemistry
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D
  • Pan troglodytes / immunology*
  • Receptors, Immunologic / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Immunologic / biosynthesis
  • Receptors, Immunologic / chemistry*
  • Receptors, Immunologic / physiology*
  • Receptors, KIR
  • Receptors, Natural Killer Cell
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • KLRC1 protein, human
  • KLRD1 protein, human
  • Lectins, C-Type
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily D
  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • Receptors, KIR
  • Receptors, Natural Killer Cell

Associated data

  • GENBANK/AF258798
  • GENBANK/AF258799
  • GENBANK/AF258800
  • GENBANK/AF258801
  • GENBANK/AF258802
  • GENBANK/AF258803
  • GENBANK/AF258804
  • GENBANK/AF258805
  • GENBANK/AF258806
  • GENBANK/AF258807
  • GENBANK/AF259054
  • GENBANK/AF259055
  • GENBANK/AF259056
  • GENBANK/AF259057
  • GENBANK/AF259058
  • GENBANK/AF259059
  • GENBANK/AF259060
  • GENBANK/AF260134