Anti-Alpha Defensin 1/DEFA1 Antibody Picoband® Fluoro488 Conjugated

Defensin, alpha 1, also known as human alpha defensin 1, human neutrophil peptide 1 (HNP-1) or neutrophil defensin 1 is a human protein that is encoded by the DEFA1 gene. Defensins are a family of antimicrobial and cytotoxic peptides thought to be involved in host defense. They are abundant in the granules of neutrophils and also found in the epithelia of mucosal surfaces such as those of the intestine, respiratory tract, urinary tract, and vagina. Members of the defensin family are highly similar in protein sequence and distinguished by a conserved cysteine motif. The protein encoded by this gene, defensin, alpha 1, is found in the microbicidal granules of neutrophils and likely plays a role in phagocyte-mediated host defense. Several alpha defensin genes are clustered on chromosome 8. This gene differs from defensin, alpha 3 by only one amino acid. This gene and the gene encoding defensin, alpha 3 are both subject to copy number variation.

Expressed in immature but not mature T-cells. Also found in CD34+ cells from peripheral blood, CD34+ precursors from umbilical cord blood and adult bone marrow.

Defensin 1 and defensin 2 have antibacterial, fungicide and antiviral activities. Has antimicrobial activity against Gram- negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Defensins are thought to kill microbes by permeabilizing their plasma membrane. .

1. Entrez Gene: DEFA1 defensin, alpha 1. 2. Aldred PM, Hollox EJ, Armour JA (Jul 2005) . Copy number polymorphism and expression level variation of the human alpha-defensin genes DEFA1 and DEFA3.Hum Mol Genet. 14 (14) : 2045–52. 3. Feng Y, Gutekunst CA, Eberhart DE, Yi H, Warren ST, Hersch SM (Mar 1997) . Fragile X mental retardation protein: nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and association with somatodendritic ribosomes. J Neurosci. 17 (5) : 1539–47.