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IgM the secretory immunoglobulin of reptiles and amphibians

Nature volume 258, pages 547–548 (1975)Cite this article

Abstract

THE major secretary immunoglobulin in mammals (IgA) has been studied extensively but there is little direct evidence about its phylogenetic origins (reviewed in ref. 1). The degree of sequence homology between the C terminal end of human α1 and μ heavy (H) chains suggests that the α and μ chains diverged ≃ 175 Myr ago, or at the time birds and mammals evolved from reptiles2. Several reports suggest the existence in birds of an Ig analogous to mammalian IgA3,4. We have therefore looked for a comparable Ig in reptiles and amphibia. We found that these lower vertebrates do have a primitive secretory Ig, but it is similar to serum IgM.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rocky Mountain Laboratory, Hamilton, Montana, 59840

    J. L. PORTIS & J. E. COE

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  1. J. L. PORTIS
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  2. J. E. COE
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PORTIS, J., COE, J. IgM the secretory immunoglobulin of reptiles and amphibians. Nature 258, 547–548 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/258547a0

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