Background information
COMMD or COMM is a new family of proteins with homology to MURR1, a multifunctional protein that inhibits NFkB. These proteins form multimeric complexes and were identified in a biochemical screen for MURR1-associated factors. The family is defined by the presence of a conserved and unique motif termed the COMM (copper metabolism gene MURR1) domain, which functions as an interface for protein-protein interactions. The proteins designated as COMMD or COMM domain containing 1-10 are extensively conserved in multicellular eukaryotic organisms and define a novel family of structural and functional homologs of MURR1. The prototype of this family, MURR1/COMMD1, suppresses NFkB not by affecting nuclear translocation or binding of NF-kappaB to cognate motifs; rather, it functions in the nucleus by affecting the association of NF-kappaB with chromatin.
