title: Structures of genes for two cathelin-associated antimicrobial peptides: prophenin-2 and PR-39.
abstract: We characterized genes for prophenin (PF)-2 and PR-39, two cathelin-associated antimicrobial peptides found in porcine leukocytes. Both contained 4 exons and 3 introns and were compact, contiguous and highly homologous. Exons I-III encoded most of their cathelin domains. Exon IV specified the final few cathelin residues, including its conserved C-terminal valine, followed by the mature PR-39 peptide or a PF-2 precursor. The highly conserved 5' flanking sequences of this gene family contained NF-kappa B, IL-6, GM-CSF and NF-1 binding motifs and the introns were unusually conserved. These data suggest that the panoply of porcine cathelin-associated antimicrobial peptides arose relatively recently via gene reduplications and exon shuffling, and that in vivo expression of cathelin-associated antimicrobial peptides may respond to mediators generated early during infection.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005796:Genes; D007438:Introns; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013552:Swine; D054804:Cathelicidins
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D017931:DNA Primers; D010455:Peptides; D011506:Proteins; C084515:cathelin; C072212:PR 39; C084994:NPG4 protein, Sus scrofa; D054804:Cathelicidins