The basal position of fish in vertebrate phylogeny makes them very attractive for genomic
and functional comparative immunity studies. Adaptive immunity arose early in vertebrate …

B cells use unconventional strategies for the production of a seemingly unlimited number of
antibodies from a very limited amount of DNA. These methods dramatically increase the …

Parasites and infectious diseases are everywhere and represent some of the most potent
forces shaping the natural world. They affect almost every aspect imaginable in the life of …

Highlights•Camelids and sharks comprise heavy chain-only antibodies devoid of light
chains.•Their variable domains are able to address cryptic and recessed epitopes.•These …

In addition to antibodies with the classical composition of heavy and light chains, the
adaptive immune repertoire of sharks also includes a heavy-chain only isotype, where …

Antibodies are important for immunity and exist in several classes (IgM, IgD, IgA, IgG, IgE).
They are composed of symmetric dimeric molecules with two antigen binding regions (Fab) …

Antigen receptor gene loci are among the most complex in mammals. The IgH locus,
encoding the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) in B-lineage cells, undergoes major …

We propose an evolutionary perspective to classify and characterize the diverse systems of
adaptive immunity that have been discovered across all major domains of life. We put …

Accurate measurement of the amount of specific protein a cell produces is important for
investigating basic molecular processes. We have developed a technique that allows for …

Sharks and other cartilaginous fish are the phylogenetically oldest living organisms that rely
on antibodies as part of their adaptive immune system. They produce the immunoglobulin …