HLA-B molecular variation and its links with malaria in Africa
The group of Alicia Sanchez-Mazas identified two HLA-B alleles as candidates to Plasmodium falciparum malaria protection in Africa. Their study, published on October 16th, 2017 in Molecular Ecology, suggested that these alleles, which share close peptide-binding profiles, became beneficial at the onset of this disease. Pathogen-driven selection in the form of soft selective sweep thus likely contributed to shape the HLA-B genetic landscape of Africa.
16 Oct 2017