The major histocompatibility complex in monotremes: an analysis of the evolution of Mhc class I genes across all three mammalian subclasses

Abstract.

We report the isolation and characterization of cDNA clones of expressed, functional major histocompatibility complex class-I (Mhc-I) genes from two species of monotremes: the duck-billed platypus and the short-beaked echidna. The cDNA clones were isolated from libraries constructed from spleen RNA, clearly establishing their expression in at least this one peripheral lymphoid organ. From the presence of conserved amino acid residues, it appears the expressed sequences encode molecules that likely function as classical Mhc-I. These clones were isolated using monotreme Mhc-I processed pseudogenes as probes. These processed pseudogenes were isolated from genomic DNA and, based on their structure, are likely independently derived in the platypus and echidna. When all the monotreme sequences were included in phylogenetic analyses, we found no apparent orthologous relationships between the platypus and echidna Mhc-I. Analyses that included a large number of Mhc-I sequences from other taxa support a separate monotreme Mhc-I clade, basal to a therian Mhc-I clade that is comprised of sequences from marsupial and placental mammals. The phylogenies also support the hypothesis that Mhc-I genes of placental mammals, marsupials, and monotremes are derived from three separate lineages of Mhc-I genes, best explained by two rounds of duplications and deletions. The first round would have occurred prior to the divergence of monotremes and therians, and the second prior to the divergence of marsupials and placental mammals. The sequences described here represent the first reported functional monotreme Mhc-I, as well as the first processed pseudogenes of any type from monotremes.