Extraordinary immune gene diversity in Atlantic herring exceeds that of other vertebrates, including humans
Atlantic herring travel in massive schools that can contain hundreds of millions—and sometimes even billions—of fish. While this abundance is characteristic of one of the most successful vertebrates on Earth, it also creates ideal conditions for viruses, bacteria and parasites to spread.
An international research team led by the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences has found that Atlantic herring possess an extraordinary level of diversity in immune genes compared to other vertebrates, including humans. The study, published in Science Advances, revealed that these fish have more genetic variation in their major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes than any other vertebrate studied before.
MHC genes play a crucial role in the immune system by recognizing and responding to pathogens. The researchers believe this high diversity reflects millions of years of natural selection as herring adapted to defend against a constantly evolving array of pathogens. The study used long-read sequencing technology to accurately analyze the complex MHC gene regions, which allowed them to measure the genetic diversity more accurately than previously possible.
The findings suggest that this exceptional immune diversity has evolved due to strong selection pressures from pathogen encounters throughout the herring's life.
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