ARS | Publication request: Gene Sequence Homology of Chemokines Across Species

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: September 12, 2007
Publication Date: December 2, 2007
Citation: Labresh, J.W., Steffens, C.S., Baldwin, C., Lunney, J.K. 2007. Gene Sequence Homology of Chemokines Across Species. In:R. Ellis Ed., Proceedings of the Conference of Research Workers in Animal Diseases (CRWAD) Meeting. Blackwell Publishing. p. 107 #79P.

Technical Abstract: The abundance of expressed gene and protein sequences available in the biological information databases facilitates comparison of protein homologies. A high degree of sequence similarity typically implies homology regarding structure and function and may provide clues to antibody cross-reactivities among species. We compared the predicted soluble portions of chemokine sequences across eight species (human, mouse, rat, canine, feline, bovine, swine, and equine) in order to aid in protein expression and hybridoma production. The chemokine family has approximately 50 small (8-10 kDa) secreted pro-inflammatory activation-inducible cytokines involved in a variety of immune responses, acting primarily as long distance chemoattractants and activators of specific types of leukocytes. The chemokine family is further subdivided into four subfamilies: C; CC; CXC; and CX3C based on the position of conserved cysteine residues involved in intramolecular cysteine bonds. Chemokines were assessed because of their importance in inflammation, disease and stress responses. The lack of species-specific reagents available to veterinary research scientists makes them a prime target for the US Veterinary Immune Reagent Network (www.umass.edu/vetimm/).