Molecular cloning and sequencing of the cDNA encoding the bat CD4

Chiroptera is thought to be a vector or a natural reservoir of various pathogenic microbes. However, there are few basic studies on the subject of chiroptera immune systems. This is the first report to determine the sequence of bat CD4 cDNA. Comparison with other animals’ CD4 and phylogenetic analysis have shown that bat CD4 had a higher homology to cat and dog CD4 than to human and mouse CD4. Moreover, from the analysis of the structure of the CD4 Ig-like C-type 1 region, in bat CD4 there was an insertion of 18 extra amino acids. In addition, bat CD4 lacked cystein, which suggested that the disulfide bond could not be formed. Human, monkey and mouse CD4 have the cystein and the disulfide bond, but pig, cat, whale and dog CD4, like that of the bat, lacked the cystein. We conducted the present study in order to help elucidate the infectious diseases derived from the bat as well as bat immune systems.