Origins of immunity: Relish, a compound Rel-like gene in the antibacterial defense of Drosophila.
NF-kappa B/Rel transcription factors are central regulators of mammalian immunity and are also implicated in the induction of cecropins and other antibacterial peptides in insects. We identified the gene for Relish, a compound Drosophila protein that, like mammalian p105 and p100, contains both a Rel homology domain and an I kappa B-like domain. Relish is strongly induced in infected flies, and it can activate transcription from the Cecropin A1 promoter. A Relish transcript is also detected in early embryos, suggesting that it acts in both immunity and embryogenesis. The presence of a compound Rel protein in Drosophila indicates that similar proteins were likely present in primordial immune systems and may serve unique signaling functions.
Dushay
M S
MS
Department of Developmental Biology, Stockholm University, Sweden.
Asling
B
B
Hultmark
D
D
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001483:Base Sequence; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D017931:DNA Primers; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016972:Enterobacter cloacae / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D017344:Genes, Insect; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017931:DNA Primers; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D020569:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-rel; C101626:Rel protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors