Identification, distribution and molecular evolution of the pacifastin gene family in Metazoa.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Members of the pacifastin family are serine peptidase inhibitors, most of which are produced as multi domain precursor proteins. Structural and biochemical characteristics of insect pacifastin-like peptides have been studied intensively, but only one inhibitor has been functionally characterised. Recent sequencing projects of metazoan genomes have created an unprecedented opportunity to explore the distribution, evolution and functional diversification of pacifastin genes in the animal kingdom.

Results

A large scale in silico data mining search led to the identification of 83 pacifastin members with 284 inhibitor domains, distributed over 55 species from three metazoan phyla. In contrast to previous assumptions, members of this family were also found in other phyl

SUBMITTER: Breugelmans B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2689174 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature