The first report of a Pelecaniformes defensin cluster: characterization of β-defensin genes in the crested ibis based on BAC libraries.

Defensins play a key role in the innate immunity of various organisms. Detailed genomic studies of the defensin cluster have only been reported in a limited number of birds. Herein, we present the first characterization of defensins in a Pelecaniformes species, the crested ibis (Nipponia nippon), which is one of the most endangered birds in the world.