Molecular Evolution of the Vertebrate Immune System
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2026 | Viewed by 188
Special Issue Editor
2. SNC5039 CNRS, 19-21 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France
Interests: evolutionary biology; molecular immunology; comparative genomic; bioinformatic; molecular microbiology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The jawed vertebrate immune system represents a remarkable example of molecular innovation and evolutionary complexity. Its adaptive arm, unique to jawed vertebrates, arose through the co-option of a RAG transposon into the RAG recombinase system, enabling V(D)J recombination and the generation of diverse antigen receptors. This process illustrates how novel genes can emerge and become entrenched through mechanisms such as constructive neutral evolution, with pre-existing “cultivator genes” (e.g., DNA repair machinery and proto-receptor loci) providing a supportive genomic environment.
Beyond RAG, additional layers of molecular evolution—such as the diversification of TCR and BCR loci, the development of regulatory networks controlling lymphocyte differentiation, and the domestication of transposons—have contributed to the immune system’s adaptability and complexity.
This Special Issue will focus on the molecular evolution of the vertebrate immune system, highlighting key events that shaped its emergence and diversification. By emphasizing both the origin of new genes and the regulatory architectures that constrain and guide their functions, this work aims to provide a coherent picture of how evolutionary mechanisms produced one of the most sophisticated defense systems in vertebrates. The discussion will integrate current understanding from comparative genomics, molecular biology, and evolutionary theory, illustrating general principles of innovation while remaining focused on the immune system as a model of vertebrate molecular evolution. This Special Issue was supervised by Dr. Pierre Pontarotti, and assisted by Dr. Vivek Keshri from REVA University (vivek.bioinfo@gmail.com).
Dr. Pierre Pontarotti
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- immune system
- molecular evolution
- V (D) J recombination
- RAG transposon
- comparative genomics
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