Balancing selection is a classic mechanism for maintaining variability in immune genes involved in host-pathogen interactions. However, it remains unclear how widespread the mechanism is across immune genes other than the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Although occasional reports suggest that balancing selection (heterozygote advantage, negative frequency-dependent selection, and fluctuating selection) may act on other immune genes, the current understanding of the phenomenon in non-MHC immune genes is far from solid. In this review, we focus on Toll-like receptors (TLRs), innate immune genes directly involved in pathogen recognition and immune response activation, as there is a growing body of research testing the assumptions of balancing selection in these genes. After reviewing infection- and fitness-based evidence, along with evidence based on population allelic frequencies and heterozygosity levels, we conclude that balancing selection maintains variation in TLRs, though it tends to occur under specific conditions in certain evolutionary lineages rather than being universal and ubiquitous. Our review also identifies key gaps in current knowledge and proposes promising areas for future research. Improving our understanding of host-pathogen interactions and balancing selection in innate immune genes are increasingly important, particularly regarding threats from emerging zoonotic diseases.

• Klíčová slova
• TLR, Toll-like receptors, balancing selection, host–pathogen interactions, innate immune genes, polymorphism,
• MeSH
• frekvence genu MeSH
• hlavní histokompatibilní komplex MeSH
• polymorfismus genetický * MeSH
• přirozená imunita genetika   MeSH
• selekce (genetika) MeSH
• toll-like receptory * genetika   MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• toll-like receptory * MeSH

The recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has refocused attention to the betacoronaviruses, only eight years after the emergence of another zoonotic betacoronavirus, the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). While the wild source of SARS-CoV-2 may be disputed, for MERS-CoV, dromedaries are considered as source of zoonotic human infections. Testing 100 immune-response genes in 121 dromedaries from United Arab Emirates (UAE) for potential association with present MERS-CoV infection, we identified candidate genes with important functions in the adaptive, MHC-class I (HLA-A-24-like) and II (HLA-DPB1-like), and innate immune response (PTPN4, MAGOHB), and in cilia coating the respiratory tract (DNAH7). Some of these genes previously have been associated with viral replication in SARS-CoV-1/-2 in humans, others have an important role in the movement of bronchial cilia. These results suggest similar host genetic pathways associated with these betacoronaviruses, although further work is required to better understand the MERS-CoV disease dynamics in both dromedaries and humans.

• Klíčová slova
• Old World camels, coronavirus, immune response genes, in-solution hybridization capture, zoonosis,
• MeSH
• adaptivní imunita genetika   MeSH
• bronchy cytologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• cilie fyziologie   MeSH
• COVID-19 genetika   imunologie   virologie   MeSH
• genetická predispozice k nemoci MeSH
• interakce mikroorganismu a hostitele genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• koronavirové infekce genetika   imunologie   přenos   virologie   MeSH
• koronavirus MERS imunologie   izolace a purifikace   patogenita   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• objevující se infekční nemoci genetika   imunologie   přenos   virologie   MeSH
• přirozená imunita genetika   MeSH
• protilátky virové MeSH
• replikace viru genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• respirační sliznice cytologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• SARS-CoV-2 imunologie   patogenita   MeSH
• velbloudi genetika   imunologie   virologie   MeSH
• zdroje nemoci virologie   MeSH
• zoonózy genetika   imunologie   přenos   virologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Spojené arabské emiráty MeSH
• Názvy látek
• protilátky virové MeSH

The exploitation of the genetic factors affecting the health status of farm animals represents an alternative approach to controlling the diseases caused by microbial pathogens. The determination of innate immunity based on the genotype of the germplasm cells is a constraint for specificity but becomes an advantage in breeding schemes. The structural deviations among Toll-like receptors (TLRs), as the most frequently studied innate immunity components, have been documented at all levels, i.e., interspecific, inter- and intravarietal, in the main farm species. The current computational methods facilitate the prediction of the functional consequences of the observed mutations. Subsequently, these predictions can be verified through immunological responsiveness and population-wide association studies. The frequency and haplotype grouping of individual polymorphisms are used to track the origin and selection coefficient as independent indicators of functional changes. The Toll-like receptor variants associated with mastitis and mycobacterial infection have been identified in cattle, consequently, the targeting of these proteins in breeding could contribute to disease control. The range of infections affected by TLR polymorphisms suggests that the improvement of innate resistance is feasible in more species. Thus, the traditional breeds and wild populations should be regarded as the resources of genetic variability accessible for these purposes.

• Klíčová slova
• DNA polymorphism, EPR, Health traits, Innate immunity, NGS, PAMP, QTL, SCS, SNP, Toll-like receptors, cSNP, coding SNP, endoplasmic reticulum, indel, insertion–deletion polymorphism, ncSNP, next-generation sequencing, non-coding SNPs, nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism, nsSNP, pathogen-associated molecular pattern, quantitative trait locus, single nucleotide polymorphism, somatic cell score,
• MeSH
• frekvence genu genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• haplotypy genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• hospodářská zvířata genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• mutace genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• polymorfismus genetický genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• přirozená imunita genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• toll-like receptory genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• toll-like receptory MeSH

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a neuroviral disease that ranges in severity from a mild febrile illness to a severe and life-threatening meningoencephalitis or encephalomyelitis. There is increasing evidence that susceptibility to tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV)-induced disease and its severity are largely influenced by host genetic factors, in addition to other virus- and host-related factors. In this study, we investigated the contribution of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in innate immunity genes to predisposition to TBE in humans. More specifically, we investigated a possible association between SNPs rs304478 and rs303212 in the gene Interferon Induced Protein With Tetratricopeptide Repeats 1 (IFIT1), rs7070001 and rs4934470 in the gene Interferon Induced Protein With Tetratricopeptide Repeats 2 (IFIT2), and RIG-I (Retinoic acid-inducible gene I) encoding gene DDX58 rs311795343, rs10813831, rs17217280 and rs3739674 SNPs with predisposition to TBE in population of the Czech Republic, where TBEV is highly endemic. Genotypic and allelic frequencies for these SNPs were analyzed in 247 nonimmunized TBE patients and compared with 204 control subjects. The analysis showed an association of IFIT1 rs304478 SNP and DDX58 rs3739674 and rs17217280 SNPs with predisposition to TBE in the Czech population indicating novel risk factors for clinical TBE but not for disease severity. These results also highlight the role of innate immunity genes in TBE pathogenesis.

• Klíčová slova
• Genetics, Immunity genes, Predisposition, Single-nucleotide polymorphism, Tick-borne encephalitis,
• MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• interferony genetika   MeSH
• jednonukleotidový polymorfismus MeSH
• klíšťová encefalitida * genetika   epidemiologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• přirozená imunita genetika   MeSH
• viry klíšťové encefalitidy * genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• interferony MeSH

Bovine genes TLR4 and TLR5, which encode antibacterial toll-like receptors, were screened for polymorphisms in Czech Red Pied (Czech Simmental) cattle to identify variants associated with reproduction, udder health, and milk production traits. Variants were discovered by hybrid resequencing of 164 bulls using HiSeq X-Ten and PacBio technologies and then individually genotyped. Nominal p-values < 0.05 for associations were detected in 18 combinations between 14 polymorphisms and 15 traits using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The TLR4 variants g.610C>T (rs43578094) and g.10310T>G (rs8193072) in reference AC000135.1 were strictly associated with the index of early reproductive disorders and maternal calving ease, respectively, at false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05. A highly permissive false discovery rate cutoff of 0.6 separated seventeen combinations in both genes comprising eight positives. In the case of the TLR4 variant g.9422T>C (rs8193060), indications were obtained for the association with as many as four reproductive traits: incidence of cystic ovaries, early reproductive disorders, calving ease, and production longevity. The permissive FDR interpretation for the TLR5 data indicated associations with cyst incidence and early reproduction disorders with maternal calving ease. Moreover, three TLR5 polymorphisms correlated with milk production traits. The discrepancy of the observed associations with the predicted impacts of the SNPs on protein function points to the role of haplotypes. Nevertheless, this question should be resolved on a larger scale. The observed associations are endorsed by independent evidence from the published functional roles in other species and by the published QTL mapping data.

• Klíčová slova
• cattle, genotyping, immunity, inflammation, mammary gland, parturition, toll-like receptors,
• MeSH
• jednonukleotidový polymorfismus MeSH
• mléko MeSH
• přirozená imunita MeSH
• rozmnožování genetika   MeSH
• skot genetika   MeSH
• toll-like receptor 4 * genetika   MeSH
• toll-like receptor 5 * genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• skot genetika   MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Česká republika MeSH
• Názvy látek
• toll-like receptor 4 * MeSH
• toll-like receptor 5 * MeSH

Caenorhabditis elegans has been increasingly used to study the innate immunity and for the screening of microbe/host-specific pathogenic factors. Staphylococcus aureus-mediated infections with live C. elegans were performed on solid (full-lawn) and liquid assays. S. aureus required 90 ± 10 h for the complete killing of C. elegans, but the infection was started only after 32 h of exposure with 20% inoculum of S. aureus. The short time exposure studies revealed that, in 20% of inoculum, continuous exposure to the pathogen was required for the killing of nematode. In 100% of inoculum, only 8 h of exposure was sufficient to kill the C. elegans. To evaluate kinetically at the innate immune level, the regulation of representative candidate antimicrobial genes was investigated. Both semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real-time PCR analyses indicated the regulation of candidate immune regulatory genes of lysozyme (lys-7), cysteine protease (cpr-2), and C-type lectin (clec-60 and clec-87) family members during the course of S. aureus infections, indicating the possible contribution of the above players during the host immune response against S. aureus exposures.

• MeSH
• bakteriální léková rezistence MeSH
• Caenorhabditis elegans genetika   imunologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• cysteinové proteasy genetika   imunologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• exprese genu MeSH
• interakce hostitele a patogenu MeSH
• kvantitativní polymerázová řetězová reakce MeSH
• lektiny typu C genetika   imunologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• muramidasa genetika   imunologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• počet mikrobiálních kolonií MeSH
• polymerázová řetězová reakce s reverzní transkripcí MeSH
• přirozená imunita * MeSH
• proteiny Caenorhabditis elegans genetika   imunologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• stafylokokové infekce genetika   imunologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• Staphylococcus aureus fyziologie   MeSH
• virulence MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• cysteinové proteasy MeSH
• lektiny typu C MeSH
• muramidasa MeSH
• proteiny Caenorhabditis elegans MeSH

Driven by co-evolution with pathogens, host immunity continuously adapts to optimize defence against pathogens within a given environment. Recent advances in genetics, genomics and transcriptomics have enabled a more detailed investigation into how immunogenetic variation shapes the diversity of immune responses seen across domestic and wild animal species. However, a deeper understanding of the diverse molecular mechanisms that shape immunity within and among species is still needed to gain insight into-and generate evolutionary hypotheses on-the ultimate drivers of immunological differences. Here, we discuss current advances in our understanding of molecular evolution underpinning jawed vertebrate immunity. First, we introduce the immunome concept, a framework for characterizing genes involved in immune defence from a comparative perspective, then we outline how immune genes of interest can be identified. Second, we focus on how different selection modes are observed acting across groups of immune genes and propose hypotheses to explain these differences. We then provide an overview of the approaches used so far to study the evolutionary heterogeneity of immune genes on macro and microevolutionary scales. Finally, we discuss some of the current evidence as to how specific pathogens affect the evolution of different groups of immune genes. This review results from the collective discussion on the current key challenges in evolutionary immunology conducted at the ESEB 2021 Online Satellite Symposium: Molecular evolution of the vertebrate immune system, from the lab to natural populations.

• Klíčová slova
• MHC, adaptation, adaptive immunity, evolutionary immunology, genomics, host-parasite interactions, immunogenetics, innate immunity, molecular evolution, vertebrates,
• MeSH
• adaptivní imunita * genetika   MeSH
• biologická evoluce * MeSH
• molekulární evoluce MeSH
• obratlovci genetika   MeSH
• přirozená imunita genetika   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH

Dromedaries are an important livestock, used as beasts of burden and for meat and milk production. However, they can act as an intermediate source or vector for transmitting zoonotic viruses to humans, such as the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) or Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV). After several outbreaks of CCHFV in the Arabian Peninsula, recent studies have demonstrated that CCHFV is endemic in dromedaries and camel ticks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). There is no apparent disease in dromedaries after the bite of infected ticks; in contrast, fever, myalgia, lymphadenopathy, and petechial hemorrhaging are common symptoms in humans, with a case fatality ratio of up to 40%. We used the in-solution hybridization capture of 100 annotated immune genes to genotype 121 dromedaries from the UAE tested for seropositivity to CCHFV. Through univariate linear regression analysis, we identified two candidate genes belonging to the innate immune system: FCAR and CLEC2B. These genes have important functions in the host defense against viral infections and in stimulating natural killer cells, respectively. This study opens doors for future research into immune defense mechanisms in an enzootic host against an important zoonotic disease.

• Klíčová slova
• Camelus dromedarius, Old World camel, in-solution hybridization capture, tick, vector-borne infection, zoonosis,
• MeSH
• genetická predispozice k nemoci genetika   MeSH
• genotyp MeSH
• hemoragická horečka krymská genetika   imunologie   virologie   MeSH
• infestace klíšťaty imunologie   parazitologie   MeSH
• klíšťata imunologie   fyziologie   virologie   MeSH
• koronavirové infekce genetika   imunologie   virologie   MeSH
• kuřecí embryo MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• odolnost vůči nemocem genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• přirozená imunita genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• rizikové faktory MeSH
• velbloudi genetika   imunologie   virologie   MeSH
• virus krymsko-konžské hemoragické horečky imunologie   fyziologie   MeSH
• zoonózy genetika   imunologie   virologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• kuřecí embryo MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Spojené arabské emiráty MeSH

Primary interaction of an intracellular bacterium with its host cell is initiated by activation of multiple signaling pathways in response to bacterium recognition itself or as cellular responses to stress induced by the bacterium. The leading molecules in these processes are cell surface membrane receptors as well as cytosolic pattern recognition receptors recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns or damage-associated molecular patterns induced by the invading bacterium. In this review, we demonstrate possible sequences of events leading to recognition of Francisella tularensis, present findings on known mechanisms for manipulating cell responses to protect Francisella from being killed, and discuss newly published data from the perspective of early stages of host-pathogen interaction.

• Klíčová slova
• Francisella tularensis, innate immune recognition, intracellular replication, phagocytosis, signaling pathways,
• MeSH
• alarminy genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• bakteriální proteiny genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• fagocytóza genetika   MeSH
• Francisella tularensis genetika   imunologie   patogenita   MeSH
• interakce hostitele a patogenu genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• makrofágy imunologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• PAMP struktury imunologie   metabolismus   MeSH
• přirozená imunita * MeSH
• receptory buněčného povrchu genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• receptory rozpoznávající vzory genetika   imunologie   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese MeSH
• signální transdukce MeSH
• tularemie genetika   imunologie   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• alarminy MeSH
• bakteriální proteiny MeSH
• PAMP struktury MeSH
• receptory buněčného povrchu MeSH
• receptory rozpoznávající vzory MeSH

Adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs) convert adenosine to inosine in dsRNA. ADAR editing in pre-mRNAs recodes open reading frames and alters splicing, mRNA structure and interactions with miRNAs. Here, we review ADAR gene expression, splice forms, posttranslational modifications, subcellular localizations and functions of ADAR protein isoforms. ADAR1 edits cellular dsRNA to prevent aberrant activation of cytoplasmic antiviral dsRNA sensors; ADAR1 mutations lead to aberrant expression of interferon in Aicardi Goutières syndrome (AGS), a human congenital encephalopathy. We review related studies on mouse Adar1 mutant phenotypes, their rescues by preventing signaling from the antiviral RIG-I-like Sensors (RLRs), as well as Adar1 mechanisms in innate immune suppression and other roles of Adar1, including editing-independent effects. ADAR2, expressed primarily in CNS, edits glutamate receptor transcripts; regulation of ADAR2 activity in response to neuronal activity mediates homeostatic synaptic plasticity of vertebrate AMPA and kainite receptors. In Drosophila, synapses and synaptic proteins show dramatic decreases at night during sleep; Drosophila Adar, an orthologue of ADAR2, edits hundreds of mRNAs; the most conserved editing events occur in transcripts encoding synapse-associated proteins. Adar mutant flies exhibit locomotion defects associated with very increased sleep pressure resulting from a failure of homeostatic synaptic processes. A study on Adar2 mutant mice identifies a new role in circadian rhythms, acting indirectly through miRNAs such as let-7 to modulate levels of let-7 target mRNAs; ADAR1 also regulates let-7 miRNA processing. Drosophila ADAR, an orthologue of vertebrate ADAR2, also regulates let-7 miRNA levels and Adar mutant flies have a circadian mutant phenotype.

• Klíčová slova
• ADAR, Circadian rhythm, Epitranscriptome, Innate immunity, RNA editing, Sleep, dsRNA, microRNA,
• MeSH
• adenosindeaminasa genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• cirkadiánní hodiny * MeSH
• editace RNA * MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• přirozená imunita * MeSH
• spánek * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• přehledy MeSH
• Názvy látek
• adenosindeaminasa MeSH