IMGT® Biocuration and Analysis of the Rhesus Monkey IG Loci.

The adaptive immune system, along with the innate immune system, are the two main biological processes that protect an organism from pathogens. The adaptive immune system is characterized by the specificity and extreme diversity of its antigen receptors. These antigen receptors are the immunoglobulins (IG) or antibodies of the B cells and the T cell receptors (TR) of the T cells. The IG are proteins that have a dual role in immunity: they recognize antigens and trigger elimination mechanisms, to rid the body of foreign cells. The synthesis of the immunoglobulin heavy and light chains requires gene rearrangements at the DNA level in the IGH, IGK, and IGL loci. The rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) is one of the most widely used nonhuman primate species in biomedical research. In this manuscript, we provide a thorough analysis of the three IG loci of the Mmul_10 assembly of rhesus monkey, integrating IMGT previously existing data. Detailed characterization of IG genes includes their localization and position in the loci, the determination of the allele functionality, and the description of the regulatory elements of their promoters as well as the sequences of the conventional recombination signals (RS). This complete annotation of the genomic IG loci of Mmul_10 assembly and the highly detailed IG gene characterization could be used as a model, in additional rhesus monkey assemblies, for the analysis of the IG allelic polymorphism and structural variation, which have been described in rhesus monkeys.

IMGT® databases, related tools and web resources through three main axes of research and development.

IMGT®, the international ImMunoGeneTics information system®, http://www.imgt.org/, is at the forefront of the immunogenetics and immunoinformatics fields with more than 30 years of experience. IMGT® makes available databases and tools to the scientific community pertaining to the adaptive immune response, based on the IMGT-ONTOLOGY. We focus on the recent features of the IMGT® databases, tools, reference directories and web resources, within the three main axes of IMGT® research and development. Axis I consists in understanding the adaptive immune response, by deciphering the identification and characterization of the immunoglobulin (IG) and T cell receptor (TR) genes in jawed vertebrates. It is the starting point of the two other axes, namely the analysis and exploration of the expressed IG and TR repertoires based on comparison with IMGT reference directories in normal and pathological situations (Axis II) and the analysis of amino acid changes and functions of 2D and 3D structures of antibody and TR engineering (Axis III).

IMGT® Biocuration and Comparative Analysis of Bos taurus and Ovis aries TRA/TRD Loci.

The adaptive immune response provides the vertebrate immune system with the ability to recognize and remember specific pathogens to generate immunity, and mount stronger attacks each time the pathogen is encountered. T cell receptors are the antigen receptors of the adaptive immune response expressed by T cells, which specifically recognize processed antigens, presented as peptides by the highly polymorphic major histocompatibility (MH) proteins. T cell receptors (TR) are divided into two groups, αß and γδ, which express distinct TR containing either α and ß, or γ and δ chains, respectively. The TRα locus (TRA) and TRδ locus (TRD) of bovine (Bos taurus) and the sheep (Ovis aries) have recently been described and annotated by IMGT® biocurators. The aim of the present study is to present the results of the biocuration and to compare the genes of the TRA/TRD loci among these ruminant species based on the Homo sapiens repertoire. The comparative analysis shows similarities but also differences, including the fact that these two species have a TRA/TRD locus about three times larger than that of humans and therefore have many more genes which may demonstrate duplications and/or deletions during evolution.

IMGT® Biocuration and Comparative Study of the T Cell Receptor Beta Locus of Veterinary Species Based on Homo sapiens TRB.

IMGT®, the international ImMunoGeneTics information system® is the global reference in immunogenetics and immunoinformatics. By its creation in 1989 by Marie-Paule Lefranc (Université de Montpellier and CNRS), IMGT® marked the advent of immunoinformatics, which emerged at the interface between immunogenetics and bioinformatics. IMGT® is specialized in the immunoglobulins (IG) or antibodies, T cell receptors (TR), major histocompatibility (MH), and proteins of the IgSF and MhSF superfamilies. T cell receptors are divided into two groups, αß and γδ TR, which express distinct TR containing either α and ß, or γ and δ chains, respectively. The TRß locus (TRB) was recently described and annotated by IMGT® biocurators for several veterinary species, i.e., cat (Felis catus), dog (Canis lupus familiaris), ferret (Mustela putorius furo), pig (Sus scrofa), rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta), and sheep (Ovis aries). The aim of the present study is to compare the genes of the TRB locus among these different veterinary species based on Homo sapiens. The results reveal that there are similarities but also differences including the number of genes by subgroup which may demonstrate duplications and/or deletions during evolution.

Complete Genome Sequence of Malassezia restricta CBS 7877, an Opportunist Pathogen Involved in Dandruff and Seborrheic Dermatitis.

Malassezia restricta, one of the predominant basidiomycetous yeasts present on human skin, is involved in scalp disorders. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of the lipophilic Malassezia restricta CBS 7877 strain, which will facilitate the study of the mechanisms underlying its commensal and pathogenic roles within the skin microbiome.