The wings of a “genetic bird” protect us against viruses

Researchers have demonstrated that every population can protect itself against a broad range of viruses thanks to the two most diverse HLA immune genes in humans. Do populations from different geographic regions have the same potential for defending themselves against pathogens and against viruses in particular? An analysis of human genomes, especially the HLA genes responsible for the so-called "adaptive" immune system, provide some possible answers to this question. These genes, which vary enormously between individuals, code for molecules capable of recognising the different viruses so they can trigger the appropriate immune response. In a study to be published in the journal Molecular Biology and Evolution , scientists from the University of Geneva , Switzerland, partnering with Cambridge University, identify the HLA variants that bind to families of viruses most effectively. The researchers show that, in spite of the great heterogeneity of HLA variants in individuals, all populations benefit from an equivalent potential when it comes to virus protection. The human body's first line of defence consists of recognising viruses as foreign bodies. Molecules known as human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) recognise the peptides - the small chains that make up a protein - in viruses.