Projekt

Recognition of numerous antigens is important for an effective and specific immune response. One way that a host can evolve diversity of immune recognition and effector molecules, is through alternative splicing. In this project I propose to examine whether the massively alternatively spliced putative immune receptor Down syndrome cell adhesion molecule, Dscam, could play a role in specific immune responses, at the phenotypic and the genotypic level. I will address the phenotype using a three-pronged approach using transcriptomics, protein and immune assay readout levels. Addressing Dscam from a genotypic standpoint will mean using information about sequence conservation in alternatively spliced exons across species, to test predictions about parasite-specific Dscam gene expression, and it will also mean testing our general hypotheses across insect species. I hope that this approach will provide some insight into the role of Dscam in immunity and also some ideas about what mechanisms may have led to the evolution of specific immune priming in insects.

• Dr. Sophie Armitage

  Universität Münster
  Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity
  Münster