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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 11: Posters: Statistical Physics in Biological Systems (joint with DY)

BP 11.11: Poster

Montag, 11. März 2013, 17:30–19:30, Poster B2

Modeling diversity of immune genes in host-parasite co-evolution — •Yixian Song and Arne Traulsen — Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology Plön

We investigate an individual based stochastic model of host-parasite co-evolution. The model is made to simulate the origin and maintenance of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) polymorphism, i.e., coexistence of diverse genetic variants in a population. In the genes of the MHC, the key component of adaptive immunity, very high levels of allelic diversity are observed. MHC molecules are essential in antigen presentation process by T-cells. The high polymorphism of MHC genes has drawn attention of evolutionary biologists and population geneticists. Our model is focused on one locus with two alleles. Thereby the dynamics of coexisting parasites and alleles are explored. The goal of this model is to develop a theoretical understanding of the dynamic equilibrium in which the MHC diversity in a population approximately remains from generation to generation, but changes in composition.