title: Recent insights into the evolution of innate viral sensing in animals.
abstract: The evolution of viral sensors is likely to be shaped by the constraint imposed through high conservation of viral Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs), and by the potential for 'arms race' coevolution with more rapidly evolving viral proteins. Here we review the recent progress made in understanding the evolutionary history of two types of viral sensor, RNA helicases and Toll-like receptors. We find differences both in their rates of evolution, and in the levels of positive selection they experience. We suggest that positive selection has been the primary driver of the rapid evolution of the RNA helicases, while selective constraint has been a stronger influence shaping the slow evolution of the Toll-like receptors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolutionary Biology, and Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, EH9 3JT, United Kingdom. Electronic address: S.H.Lewis@sms.ed.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Samuel H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolutionary Biology, and Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Kings Buildings, EH9 3JT, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Darren J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Obbard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D020365:RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014780:Viruses / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D051193:Toll-Like Receptors; D020365:RNA Helicases