CactinC_cactus is the C-terminal 200 residues of the cactin protein which are necessary for the association of cactin with IkappaB-cactus as one of the intracellular members of the Rel complex. The Rel (NF-kappaB) pathway is conserved in invertebrates and vertebrates. In mammals, it controls the activities of the immune and inflammatory response genes as well as viral genes, and is critical for cell growth and survival. In Drosophila, the Rel pathway functions in the innate cellular and humoral immune response, in muscle development, and in the establishment of dorsal-ventral polarity in the early embryo [1]. Most members of the family also have a Cactin_mid domain Pfam:PF10312 further upstream.

1: Cactin, a conserved protein that interacts with the Drosophila IkappaB protein cactus and modulates its function. Lin P, Huang LH, Steward R; Mech Dev. 2000;94:57-65. PMID:10842059