beta-2 Defensin Proteins

Protein Information

Defensins (alpha and beta) are cationic peptides with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity that comprise an important arm of the innate immune system. The alpha-defensins are distinguished from the beta-defensins by the pairing of their three disulfide bonds. To date, six human beta-defensins have been identified; BD-1, BD-2, BD-3, BD-4, BD-5 and BD-6. beta-defensins are expressed on some leukocytes and at epithelial surfaces. In addition to their direct antimicrobial activities, they can act as chemoattractants towards immature dendritic cells and memory T cells. The beta-defensin proteins are expressed as the C-terminal portion of precursors, and are released by proteolytic cleavage of a signal sequence and, in some cases, a propeptide sequence. Beta-defensins contain a six-cysteine motif that forms three intra-molecular disulfide bonds.

Synonyms

BD-2; beta defensin 2; beta defensin-2; Beta-defensin 2; Beta-defensin 4A; DEFB102; DEFB2; DEFB-2; DEFB4; DEFB4A; DEFB4B; Defensin beta 2; defensin beta 4A; Defensin beta2; defensin, beta 2; defensin, beta 4; defensin, beta 4A; Defensin-beta2; HBD-2; SAP1; Skin-antimicrobial peptide 1