A 2.7-kb Deletion in the Human NLRP10 Gene Exon 2 Occurred After the Human-Chimpanzee Divergence

Abstract

NLRP10 is a member of the NLRP protein family, which is involved in inflammation and apoptosis. Genome sequence comparisons revealed that a 2.7-kb deletion occurred in the human NLRP10 gene exon 2 after the divergence of humans and chimpanzees, resulting in replacement of the entire 3' untranslated region with the flanking LINE-1 element. The human NLRP10 protein lost 30 or more amino acids that are conserved in primates at its carboxy-terminus. The structural modification of the NLRP10 gene might have played a role in development or enhancement of human-specific traits during evolution.