NCBI Summary:
Defensins form a family of microbicidal and cytotoxic peptides made by neutrophils. Members of the defensin family are highly similar in protein sequence. This gene encodes defensin, beta 1, an antimicrobial peptide implicated in the resistance of epithelial surfaces to microbial colonization. This gene maps in close proximity to defensin family member, defensin, alpha 1 and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis. [provided by RefSeq]
General function
Ligand
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Cellular localization
Secreted
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Ovarian function
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Expression regulated by
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Ovarian localization
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Molecular and functional characterization of bovine beta-defensin-1. Aono S et al. We report the biochemical and functional properties of a novel bovine beta-defensin (bBD-1). Cloned from bovine mammary papillary duct epithelia, the bBD-1 cDNA predicts a 69 amino acid propeptide that is much more similar to human beta-defensin-1 (hBD-1) than to other bovine defensins. The bBD-1 gene contains two exons and one 8.5kb intron. Using RT-PCR, we detected the bBD-1 transcript in the teat mucosa, kidney, vagina, ovary, oviduct, and colon. A synthetic bBD-1 peptide demonstrates potent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. The widespread expression of bBD-1 mRNA indicates that bBD-1 may play an important role in the bovine host defense against infections.