Defensin Beta 105 (DEFb105)

Beta-defensin 105 is a protein encoded by the DEFB105A gene. Defensins form a family of microbicidal and cytotoxic peptides made by neutrophils. Defensins are short, processed peptide molecules that are classified by structure into three groups: alpha-defensins, beta-defensins and theta-defensins.

All beta-defensin genes are densely clustered in four to five syntenic chromosomal regions. Chromosome 8p23 contains at least two copies of the duplicated beta-defensin cluster. This duplication results in two identical copies of defensin, beta 105, DEFB105A and DEFB105B, in tail-to-tail orientation. This gene, DEFB105A, represents the more centromeric copy. Specifically expressed in testis.