Linking the antigen archive structure to pathogen fitness in African trypanosomes

Gjini, E., Haydon, D.T. , Barry, J.D. and Cobbold, C.A. (2013) Linking the antigen archive structure to pathogen fitness in African trypanosomes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences, 280(1753), p. 20122129. (doi: 10.1098/rspb.2012.2129)

Abstract

Systems that generate antigenic variation enable pathogens to evade host immune responses and are intricately interwoven with major pathogen traits, such as host choice, growth, virulence and transmission. Although much is understood about antigen switching at the molecular level, little is known about the cross-scale links between these molecular processes and the larger-scale within and between host population dynamics that they must ultimately drive. Inspired by the antigenic variation system of African trypanosomes, we apply modelling approaches to our expanding understanding of the organization and expression of antigen repertoires, and explore links across these scales. We predict how pathogen population processes are determined by underlying molecular genetics and infer resulting selective pressures on important emergent repertoire traits.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Cobbold, Professor Christina and Haydon, Professor Daniel and Gjini, Ms Erida and Barry, Professor J
• Authors: Gjini, E., Haydon, D.T., Barry, J.D., and Cobbold, C.A.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Mathematics and Statistics > Mathematics; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
• Journal Name: Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B: Biological Sciences
• Publisher: The Royal Society
• ISSN: 0962-8452
• Published Online: 02 January 2013