Species-Specific Differences in the Organization of Genes Encoding KELCH-like Proteins of Orthopoxviruses Pathogenic for Humans

The kelch gene of Drosophila encodes the protein which is a structural component of so-called annular channels, which ensure the transport of cytoplasmic components from the nurse cells to Drosophila melanogaster oocytes during ontogeny [1]. The amino acid sequence analysis showed that the kelch protein consisting of 688 amino acid residue contains six tandem repeats comprised of approximately 50 amino acid residues each, which are located at the C-terminus of this protein. This repeat has been termed the kelch motif [2], and the group of these repeats is called the kelch domain. It was discovered that the kelch protein contains a