In vertebrates, NLRs possess one of several types of linker domains (CARD, PYRIN/PAAD [amino-terminal domain of protein pyrin/pyrin, AIM (absent-in-melanoma), ASC (apoptosis-associated speck-like protein), and DD-like], or BIR (baculovirus inhibitor of apoptosis repeat)) at the amino terminus and multiple LRRs at the carboxyl terminus that effect pathogen recognition [3,28] (Figure 2a). This evidence concerns the gene KCNJ11 and melanoma.