{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n DEFB132 is a member of the beta‐defensin family, a group of peptides that have long been implicated in innate immune functions such as antimicrobial activity, cell signaling, and possibly roles in reproduction. In a recent study conducted on catarrhine primates and diverse human populations, DEFB132 was shown to exhibit extensive genetic diversity, most notably a four‐state amino acid polymorphism at position 93 (with valine, isoleucine, alanine, and threonine as the possible residues). This polymorphism is prevalent in hunter–gatherer populations from both African and non‐African origins but is absent in samples from agricultural populations, suggesting that variable environmental pressures—perhaps linked to differing pathogen exposures or lifestyle‐related selective forces—may have shaped its evolution."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Although the specific biological activities of DEFB132 remain to be fully elucidated, the observed diversity indicates that natural selection has acted on this gene, reflecting its potential importance in host defense and adaptation. The differential distribution of its polymorphic variants implies that DEFB132 could contribute uniquely to the modulation of innate immune responses in human populations with distinct evolutionary backgrounds.\n "}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Edward J Hollox, John A L Armour "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Directional and balancing selection in human beta-defensins."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "BMC Evol Biol (2008)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1186/1471-2148-8-113"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2148-8-113"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "18416833"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18416833"}]}]}]}