Cutting edge: CATERPILLER: a large family of mammalian genes containing CARD, pyrin, nucleotide-binding, and leucine-rich repeat domains.
Large mammalian proteins containing a nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) and C-terminal leucine-rich repeats (LRR) similar in structure to plant disease resistance proteins have been suggested as critical in innate immunity. Our interest in CIITA, a NBD/LRR protein, and recent reports linking mutations in two other NBD/LRR proteins to inflammatory disorders have prompted us to perform a search for other members. Twenty-two known and novel NBD/LRR genes are spread across eight human chromosomes, with multigene clusters occurring on 11, 16, and 19. Most of these are telomeric. Their N termini vary, but most have a pyrin domain. The genomic organization demonstrates a high degree of conservation of the NBD- and LRR-encoding exons. Except for CIITA, all the predicted NBD/LRR proteins are likely ATP-binding proteins. Some have broad tissue expression, whereas others are restricted to myeloid cells. The implications of these data on origins, expression, and function of these genes are discussed.
Harton
Jonathan A
JA
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
Linhoff
Michael W
MW
Zhang
Jinghua
J
Ting
Jenny P-Y
JP
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005091:Exons; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000276:immunology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D007930:Leucine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000090263:Leucine-Rich Repeat Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000276:immunology*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010802:Phylogeny; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary / Q000235:genetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D011685:Purine Nucleotides / Q000737:chemistry*; D000071198:Pyrin; D020449:Repetitive Sequences, Amino Acid; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000090263:Leucine-Rich Repeat Proteins; C000604192:MEFV protein, human; C083728:MHC class II transactivator protein; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D011685:Purine Nucleotides; D000071198:Pyrin; D015534:Trans-Activators; D007930:Leucine