NERD: a DNA processing-related domain present in the anthrax virulence plasmid, pXO1

We have identified a new domain in a broad range of bacterial, as well as single archaeal and plant proteins. Its presence in the virulence-related pXO1 plasmid of Bacillus anthracis as well as in several other pathogens makes it a possible drug target. We term the new domain nuclease-related domain (NERD) because of its distant similarity to endonucleases.