Huiqing Huang

TL;DR: The first comprehensive genomic survey of the immune gene repertoire of the Amphioxus Branchiostoma floridae suggests that the amphioxus, a species without vertebrate-type adaptive immunity, holds extraordinary innate complexity and diversity.

TL;DR: Findings suggested that AmphiCTL1 acted as a direct microbial killing C-type lectin through binding microbial targets via interaction with peptidoglycan and glucan, which may be an evolutionarily primitive form of antimicrobial protein involved in lectin-mediated innate immunity.

TL;DR: The mucosal immune complexity of amphioxus is dissected into different evolutionary-functional modes and regulatory patterns by integrating information from phylogenetic inferences, genome-wide digital expression profiles, time course expression dynamics, and functional analyses, and it is suggested that the innate immune systems of Amphioxus and the sea urchin are strategically different.

TL;DR: The cloned and identified a novel C1q family member in cephalochordate amphioxus and named AmphiC1q1, and this study will shed a light on understanding the gradual functional evolution of C 1q family and eventual formation of mammalian homologues.

TL;DR: The immune function of BbtGal was consistent with its localization both outside and inside the cell, and may help further understanding of the evolution of chordate galectin in terms of host-pathogen interaction in the immune system.