NIH R01 · 2025
Characterization of Lamprey B cells and Antibodies
PROJECT SUMMARY As one of two lineages of extant jawless vertebrates, lampreys represent a pivotal branch of vertebrate phylogeny; they offer a critical source of information for understanding the evolutionary origins of our adaptive immune system. While immunoglobulin domain-based receptors mediate adaptive immunity in all jawed vertebrate groups, the variable lymphocyte receptor (VLR) system in lampreys and hagfishes is based on receptors constructed of leucine-rich repeats (LRR). The VLRs are assembled by a gene conversion-like process that sequentially copies sequences donated by fragmentary LRR cassettes into an incomplete germline VLR gene. Although structurally unrelated to…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.