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Although most \u03b2-defensin genes are composed of two exons separated by an intron of variable length, some contain an additional one or two exons encoding an internal pro-sequence, a segment of carboxy-terminal mature sequences or untranslated regions. Alternatively, spliced isoforms have also been found with several \u03b2-defensins. Furthermore, all \u03b2-defensin genes are densely clustered in four to five syntenic chromosomal regions, with each cluster spanning &lt;1.2 Mb across the five species. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that, although the majority of \u03b2-defensins are evolutionarily conserved across species, subgroups of gene lineages exist that are specific in certain species, implying that some \u03b2-defensins originated after divergence of these mammals from each other, while most others arose before the last common ancestor of mammals. Surprisingly, RT-PCR revealed that all but one rat \u03b2-defensin transcript are preferentially expressed in the male reproductive tract, particularly in epididymis and testis, except that Defb4, a human \u03b2-defensin-2 ortholog, is more restricted to the respiratory and upper gastrointestinal tracts. Moreover, most \u03b2-defensins expressed in the reproductive tract are developmentally regulated, with enhanced expression during sexual maturation. Existence of such a vast array of \u03b2-defensins in the male reproductive tract suggests that these genes may play a dual role in both fertility and host defense.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1152\/physiolgenomics.00104.2005","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2005,7,21]],"date-time":"2005-07-21T00:24:54Z","timestamp":1121905494000},"page":"5-17","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":185,"title":["Cross-species analysis of the mammalian \u03b2-defensin gene family: presence of syntenic gene clusters and preferential expression in the male reproductive tract"],"prefix":"10.1152","volume":"23","author":[{"given":"Amar A.","family":"Patil","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yibin","family":"Cai","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yongming","family":"Sang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Frank","family":"Blecha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Guolong","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"24","reference":[{"key":"R1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0022-2836(05)80360-2"},{"key":"R2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/AAC.48.2.685-688.2004"},{"key":"R3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1095\/biolreprod.104.031740"},{"key":"R4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1101\/gr.1865504"},{"key":"R5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1006\/jmbi.1997.0951"},{"key":"R6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1074\/jbc.M404690200"},{"key":"R7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jcf.2003.12.008"},{"key":"R8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1095\/biolreprod.102.005389"},{"key":"R9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2174\/1389203053027593"},{"key":"R10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1006\/clin.1998.4587"},{"key":"R11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1095\/biolreprod.102.008482"},{"key":"R12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1095\/biolreprod64.4.1072"},{"key":"R13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tig.2003.10.010"},{"key":"R14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nri1180"},{"key":"R15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s004410100433"},{"key":"R16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1096\/fj.00-0865fje"},{"key":"R17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1095\/biolreprod57.5.1115"},{"key":"R18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1074\/jbc.M008557200"},{"key":"R19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/378157"},{"key":"R20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1074\/jbc.M006098200"},{"key":"R21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hornef MW, Putsep K, Karlsson J, Refai E, and Andersson M.Increased diversity of intestinal antimicrobial peptides by covalent dimer formation.Nat Immun5: 836\u2013843, 2004.","DOI":"10.1038\/ni1094"},{"key":"R22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s000180050010"},{"key":"R23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1006\/geno.1994.1586"},{"key":"R24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Jia HP, Mills JN, Barahmand-Pour F, Nishimura D, Mallampali RK, Wang G, Wiles K, Tack BF, Bevins CL, and McCray PB Jr.Molecular cloning and characterization of rat genes encoding homologues of human \u03b2-defensins.Infect Immun67: 4827\u20134833, 1999.","DOI":"10.1128\/IAI.67.9.4827-4833.1999"},{"key":"R25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1101\/gr.229202"},{"key":"R26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1477-7827-1-116"},{"key":"R27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/31927"},{"key":"R28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/nrmicro976"},{"key":"R29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1056545"},{"key":"R30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1210\/endo.142.10.8422"},{"key":"R31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1128\/IAI.68.7.4297-4302.2000"},{"key":"R32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/molbev\/msg060"},{"key":"R33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.peptides.2003.07.023"},{"key":"R34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1432-1033.2003.03563.x"},{"key":"R35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bpg.2003.10.010"},{"key":"R36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1152\/physiolgenomics.00150.2004"},{"key":"R37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Purvis Kand Christiansen E.Infection in the male reproductive tract. 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