title: Structural characterisation of Toll-like receptor 1 (TLR1) and Toll-like receptor 6 (TLR6) in elephant and harbor seals.
abstract: Pinnipeds are a diverse clade of semi-aquatic mammals, which act as key indicators of ecosystem health. Their transition from land to marine environments provides a complex microbial milieu, making them vulnerable to both aquatic and terrestrial pathogens, thereby contributing to pinniped population decline. Indeed, viral pathogens such as influenza A virus and phocine distemper virus (PDV) have been identified as the cause of several of these mass mortality events. Furthermore, bacterial infection with mammalian Brucella sp. and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains have also been observed in marine mammals, posing further risk to both co-habiting endangered species and public health. During these disease outbreaks, mortality rates have varied amongst different pinniped species. Analyses of innate immune receptors at the host-pathogen interface have previously identified variants which may drive these species-specific responses. Through a combination of both sequence- and structure-based methods, this study characterises members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 1 superfamily from both harbour and elephant seals, identifying variations which will help us to understand these species-specific innate immune responses, potentially aiding the development of specific vaccine-adjuvants for these species.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Immunology Group, Department of Pathology and Pathogen Biology, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Woodman
authors.affiliation: Molecular Immunology Group, Department of Pathology and Pathogen Biology, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK.
authors.forename: Amanda J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Department, Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre (SRRC), Pieterburen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ana Rubio
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: García
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Department, Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre (SRRC), Pieterburen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Guillermo Sanchez
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Rossen
authors.affiliation: Molecular Immunology Group, Department of Pathology and Pathogen Biology, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK.
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Werling
authors.affiliation: Molecular Immunology Group, Department of Pathology and Pathogen Biology, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield AL9 7TA, UK. Electronic address: vofford@rvc.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Offord
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007239:Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000662:veterinary; D008958:Models, Molecular; D046049:Phoca / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D011487:Protein Conformation; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000235:genetics; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D013045:Species Specificity; D051194:Toll-Like Receptor 1 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D051216:Toll-Like Receptor 6 / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014856:Walruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D051194:Toll-Like Receptor 1; D051216:Toll-Like Receptor 6
keywords: Conservation; Evolution; Pinniped; Toll-like receptor; Zoonosis