a RT-PCR analyses of IpLITR1 and IpLITR2 expression in various catfish clonal cell lines and a polyclonal MLC. Total RNA was obtained from the catfish 42TA macrophages, 3B11 B cells, TS32.15 and TS32.17 nonautonomous cytotoxic T cells, autonomous G14D T cells, a MLC, and 1F3 NK-like cells. RT-PCR was performed using primers specific for IpLITR1, IpLITR2, and IpEF1α. The sizes of the IpLITR bands verified by sequencing are indicated at the right margin and base pair sizes are at the left margin. b Schematic representation of IpLITR-types identified by sequencing of RT-PCR products obtained using IpLITR1 and IpLITR2-specific primers. The originally identified prototype IpLITRs are boxed, and arrows indicate the relative positions of the primer pairs used in RT-PCR reactions. Sizes in base pairs corresponding to the bands observed in a are indicated above each schematic. The predicted SP, Ig domains, TM, and CYT are indicated. ITIM-like motifs are shown as hatched boxes and noncanonical immunotyrosine-based activation motif-like motifs shown as white boxes within the CYT. Individual Ig domains are shaded according to relatedness as described for Fig. 1, and percentages above each receptor represent percentage of amino acid identities of the predicted extracellular region of the IpLITR-like sequences when compared with the prototype IpLITRs