MHC Bias by T Cell Receptors: Genetic Evidence for MHC and TCR Coevolution

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Brian M. Baker, University of Notre Dame; Brian Evavold, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2017-01-01
• Publisher: Elsevier (Cell Press)
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2016.11.003
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Trends in Immunology
• ISSN: 1471-4906
• Volume: 38
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 2
• End Page: 4
• Keywords: COMPLEX; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; RECOGNITION; Science & Technology; EXPRESSION; Immunology; AMINO-ACIDS; PEPTIDE
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Immunology; Biology, Cell

Abstract

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) restriction is a fundamental tenet of T cell biology, but the underlying mechanisms have remained controversial. The extent to which T cell receptors (TCRs) are biased towards MHC proteins in particular has been widely discussed. In a recent paper, Sharon et al. report direct evidence for coevolution between TCR and MHC genes, helping to explain how MHC compatibility and bias can be encoded within TCRs.