title: Reproduction, infection and killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor haplotype evolution.
abstract: Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are encoded by one of the most polymorphic families in the human genome. KIRs are expressed on natural killer (NK) cells, which have dual roles: (1) in fighting infection and (2) in reproduction, regulating hemochorial placentation. Uniquely among primates, human KIR genes are arranged into two haplotypic combinations: KIR A and KIR B. It has been proposed that KIR A is specialized to fight infection, whilst KIR B evolved to help ensure successful reproduction. Here we demonstrate that a combination of infectious disease selection and reproductive selection can drive the evolution of KIR B-like haplotypes from a KIR A-like founder haplotype. Continued selection to survive and to reproduce maintains a balance between KIR A and KIR B.
authors: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX13PS, UK. bridget.penman@zoo.ox.ac.uk.
authors: Bridget S
authors: BS
authors: Penman
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK.
authors: Ashley
authors: A
authors: Moffett
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QP, UK.
authors: Olympe
authors: O
authors: Chazara
authors: Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Tinbergen Building, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX13PS, UK.
authors: Sunetra
authors: S
authors: Gupta
authors: Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94035, USA.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94035, USA.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Parham
mesh_terms: D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000276:immunology; D007239:Infections / Q000235:genetics*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism*; D054340:Receptors, KIR / Q000235:genetics*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D054340:Receptors, KIR
keywords: Human evolution; Infectious disease; Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs); Natural killer cells; Reproduction