– The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
News
– Researchers have uncovered an unexpected antiviral defense system in sea anemones that works very differently from the one humans use. The discovery suggests evolution developed multiple ways to combat viruses, challenging long-held ideas about how animal immune systems evolved.
Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown way that sea anemones defend themselves against viruses, revealing that the evolution of animal immune systems may be far more diverse than previously believed. The newly identified defense relies on a protein that closely resembles one of the most important antiviral proteins in humans, yet performs the opposite function while still being essential for protecting the animal from infection. The findings suggest that evolution produced more than one
The research, led by PhD candidate Ton Sharoni and Prof. Yehu Moran at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in collaboration with scientists from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, was published in Nature Ecology & Evolution. It challenges the long standing idea that animals inherited a single core antiviral system from a common ancestor and instead points to multiple evolutionary solutions for resisting viral infections.
Details
An Ancient Animal Offers New Clues About Immunity
Viruses have threatened living organisms throughout evolutionary history. In humans and other vertebrates, one of the body’s key antiviral defenses depends on a protein called MAVS. When a virus is detected, MAVS helps trigger the immune system so it can respond to the infection.
To investigate how old this defense system might be, the researchers studied sea anemones. These ancient marine animals split from the evolutionary line that eventually led to humans more than 600 million years ago. Because they are close relatives of corals and jellyfish, sea anemones provide scientists with a valuable glimpse into the early evolution of animal immunity.
Analysis
During the study, the team discovered a previously unknown protein they named CARDIB (CARD Inhibitor Binding protein). At first, CARDIB looked remarkably similar to MAVS, leading researchers to believe it might perform the same antiviral role found in humans.
That assumption quickly fell apart.
“Everything about CARDIB suggested it should function like MAVS,” said Prof. Yehu Moran, head of the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior at the Hebrew University. “Instead, we discovered that it does the exact opposite. Rather than activating antiviral defenses, CARDIB normally suppresses them.”
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