NFkB p105 Antibody

Background

NFkB was originally identified as a factor that binds to the immunoglobulin kappa light chain enhancer in B cells.  It was subsequently found in non-B cells in an inactive cytoplasmic form consisting of NFkB bound to IkB. NFkB was originally identified as a heterodimeric DNA binding protein complex consisting of p65 (RelA) and p50 (NFKB1) subunits. Other identified subunits include p52 (NFKB2), c-Rel, and RelB. The p65, cRel, and RelB subunits are responsible for transactivation. The p50 and p52 subunits possess DNA binding activity but limited ability to transactivate. p52 has been reported to form transcriptionally active heterodimers with the NFkB subunit p65, similar to p50/p65 heterodimers. Both p50 and p52 are synthesized in a precursor form referred to as p105 and p100, respectively.  The heterodimers of p52/p65 and p50/p65 are regulated by physical inactivation in the cytoplasm by an inhibitor called IkB-a. IkB-a binds to the p65 subunit, preventing nuclear localization and DNA binding. Low levels of p52 and p50 homodimers can also exist in cells. Reports describe the 607 aa C-terminal region (CTR) of p105 as IkB-g in that the molecule acts as an inhibitor of NFkB by binding to p65 and other NFkB subunits.  p105 contains an N-terminal p50 domain followed by a glycine rich region (GRR), ankyrin repeat domain (ARD), death domain (DD) and destruction box (DB).