Two alleles of NF-kappaB in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis are widely dispersed in nature and encode proteins with distinct activities.

ABSTRACT:

Background

NF-kappaB is an evolutionarily conserved transcription factor that controls the expression of genes involved in many key organismal processes, including innate immunity, development, and stress responses. NF-kappaB proteins contain a highly conserved DNA-binding/dimerization domain called the Rel homology domain.

Methods/principal findings

We characterized two NF-kappaB alleles in the sea anemone Nematostella vectensis that differ at nineteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Ten of these SNPs result in amino acid substitutions, including six within the Rel homology domain. Both alleles are found in natural populations of Nematostella. The relative abundance of the two NF-kappaB alleles differs between populations, and departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibr

SUBMITTER: Sullivan JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2751831 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature