NLR Family, Pyrin Domain Containing Protein 9 (NLRP9)

NALPs are cytoplasmic proteins that form a subfamily within the larger CATERPILLER protein family. Most short NALPs, such as NALP9, have an N-terminal pyrin (MEFV) domain (PYD), followed by a NACHT domain, a NACHT-associated domain (NAD), and a C-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR) region. The long NALP, NALP1), also has a C-terminal extension containing a function to find domain (FIIND) and a caspase recruitment domain (CARD). NALPs are implicated in the activation of proinflammatory caspases via their involvement in multiprotein complexes called inflammasomes.Tschopp et al. (2003) stated that the 986-amino acid NALP9 protein has the typical PYD-NACHT-LRR domain structure found in the NALP family.