Distant cousins: genomic and sequence diversity within the BPI fold-containing (BPIF)/PLUNC protein family

Biochem Soc Trans. 2011 Aug;39(4):961-5. doi: 10.1042/BST0390961.

Abstract

PLUNC (palate, lung and nasal epithelium clone) proteins make up the largest branch of the BPI (bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein)/LBP (lipopolysaccharide-binding protein) family of lipid-transfer proteins. PLUNCs make up one of the most rapidly evolving mammalian protein families and exhibit low levels of sequence similarity coupled with multiple examples of species-specific gene acquisition and gene loss. Vertebrate genomes contain multiple examples of genes that do not meet our original definition of what is required to be a member of the PLUNC family, namely conservation of exon numbers/sizes, overall protein size, genomic location and the presence of a conserved disulfide bond. This suggests that evolutionary forces have continued to act on the structure of this conserved domain in what are likely to be functionally important ways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Motifs
  • Animals
  • Exons
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Glycoproteins / chemistry
  • Glycoproteins / genetics*
  • Glycoproteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Phosphoproteins / chemistry
  • Phosphoproteins / genetics*
  • Phosphoproteins / metabolism

Substances

  • BPIFA1 protein, human
  • Glycoproteins
  • Phosphoproteins