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Ubiquitin thioesterase OTUB2 (OTUB2) is a member of the peptidase C65 family. OTUB2 functions as a hydrolase which can remove conjugated ubiquitin from proteins in vitro and may thus play a key regulatory role at the level of protein turnover by preventing degradation.

PPM1G is part of the PP2C family of Ser/Thr protein phosphatases which are known to be negative regulators of cell stress response pathways. PPM1G is accountable for the dephosphorylation of Pre-mRNA splicing factors, an important factor for the formation of functional spliceosome. PPM1G regulates cell cycle progression. PPM1G mediates histone dephosphorylation/exchange in response to DNA damage or checkpoint recovery in higher eukaryotes. The degradation of p21/WAF1 induced by PPM1G is mediated in a proteasome-dependent manner. Protein phosphatase 1G regulates assembly and function of the beta-catenin degradation complex.

UBE2L6 belongs to the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme family. UBE2L6 enzyme is very similar in its primary structure to the enzyme encoded by UBE2L3 gene. UBE2L6 catalyzes the covalent attachment of ubiquitin to other proteins. UBE2L6 functions in the e6/e6-ap-induced ubiquitination of p53/tp53.

The 26S proteasome is a multicatalytic proteinase complex with a well ordered structure composed of two complexes- a 20S core and a 19S regulator. PSMD11 is a non-ATPase subunit of the 19S regulator. The 20S core is composed of four rings of 28 non-identical subunits; two rings are composed of 7 alpha subunits and two rings are composed of 7 beta subunits. The 19S regulator is composed of a base that contains six ATPase subunits and two non-ATPase subunits, and a lid that contains up to ten non-ATPase subunits. Proteasomes are spread throughout eukaryotic cells at a high concentration and cleave peptides in an ATP/ubiquitin-dependent process in a non-lysosomal pathway. An indispensable function of a modified proteasome, the immunoproteasome, is the processing of class I MHC peptides.

Ras-related protein Rap-2b (RAP2B) is a part of RAS-related genes family. RAP2B has a threonine residue at aa 61Unlike normal ras proteins which have a nontransforming glutamine residue at that position. The threonine residue makes the intrinsic GTPase activity for Rap2B lower, by this means allows RAP2B to exist in the activated state for a longer period of time than normal ras proteins. RAP2B is a platelet protein which is activated by thrombin and involved in platelet activation. RAP2B may be a candidate oncogene which takes part in carcinogenesis through activation of NF-kappaB pathway.

ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL4 are angiopoietin-like proteins secreted and expressed mainly by the liver, their role being the regulation of triglyceride metabolism by inhibiting the lipolysis of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. During different nutritional states (feeding/fasting) the levels of the circulating triglycerides are regulated by Angptl3 and Angptl4 through differential inhibition of Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) as shown by the experimental data. The molecular structure of ANGPTL3 is similar to that of the angiopoietins (vascular endothelial growth factors). Deletion mutants of human Angiopoietin 5 were used in order to demonstrate that the N-terminal domain (fragment 17-207) and not the C-terminal fibrinogen-like domain (fragment 207-460) increased the plasma triglyceride levels in mice.

WNT1-inducible-signaling pathway protein 2 (WISP2) belongs to the WNT1 inducible signaling pathway (WISP) protein subfamily, which belongs to the connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) family. The CTGF family members are characterized by 4 conserved cysteine-rich domains: insulin-like growth factor-binding domain, von Willebrand factor type C module, thrombospondin domain and C-terminal cystine knot-like (CT) domain. WISP2 protein lacks the CT domain which is implicated in dimerization binding. WISP2 is possibly involved in bone remodeling. WISP2 is expressed in primary osteoblasts and fibroblasts. WISP2 stimulates osteoblast adhesion and inhibits osteocalcin production. WISP2 expression in colon tumors is reduced while the other 2 WISP members are overexpressed in colon tumors. WISP2 may play an imperative role in modulating bone turnover.

CCNH is part of the cyclin family that is known for its protein abundance through the cell cycle. Cyclins act as regulators of CDK kinases. CCNH forms a complex with CDK7 kinase and ring finger protein MAT1. The kinase complex is able to phosphorylate CDK2 and CDC2 kinases, therefore it functions as a CDK-activating kinase (CAK). CCNH and its kinase collaborator are components of TFIIH, as well as RNA polymerase II protein complexes.

NCR2 is a member of the natural cytotoxicity receptor (NCR) family and holds 1 immunoglobulin-like (Ig-like) domain. NCR2 cooperates with TYROBP/DAP12 and is specifically expressed by activated NK cells and by in vitro cultured TCRg/d lymphoid cells. NCR2 is a cytotoxicity-activating receptor which induces the amplified efficiency of activated natural killer (NK) cells to mediate tumor cell lysis.

Matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP14), is a membrane-anchored zinc-binding endopeptidase which is expressed at the leading edge of different invasive carcinomas and also promotes tumor cell invasion through degradation of the extracellular matrix. MMP14 takes a vital part in extracellular matrix, ECM, remodeling by having the capability to degrade type I collagen, activate pro-MMP-2 and process cell adhesion molecules for instance CD44 and integrin alpha V. MMP14 is a key enzyme in many physiological as well as pathological processes for example angiogenesis & tumor invasion.

SUMO3 belongs to the SUMO protein family and operates like ubiquitin. Nevertheless, unlike ubiquitin that targets proteins for degradation, SUMO3 protein takes part in several cellular processes, like nuclear transport, transcriptional regulation, apoptosis, and protein stability. SUMO3 regulates amyloid beta generation and is crucial in the onset or progression of Alzheimer’s disease.

Serine/threonine kinase 17b (STK17B) is a member of the protein kinase superfamily. STK17B functions as a positive regulator of apoptosis. STK17B interacts with CHP1; this interaction stimulates CHP1 to translocate from the Golgi to the nucleus. STK17B is highly expressed in the placenta, lung, pancreas, however it has lower levels in the heart, brain, liver, skeletal muscle and kidney.

Ras-related protein Rab-35 (RAB35) is restricted to the plasma membrane and endocytic compartments and controls a fast endocytic recycling pathway. Inhibition of Rab35 function leads to the accumulation of endocytic markers on numerous cytoplasmic vacuoles in cells that failed cytokinesis, which is consistent with a central requirement for Rab35-regulated recycling during cell division.

Adhesion Molecule with Ig-Like Domain 2, also known as AMIGO2 is a member of the leucine-rich repeat family. AMIGO2 arbitrates homophilic in addition to heterophilic cell-cell interaction with AMIGO1 or AMIGO3. Furthermore, AMIGO2 contributes to signal transduction via its intracellular domain and is also essential for tumorigenesis of a subset of gastric adenocarcinomas.

OAZ1 is a member of the ODC antizyme family. OAZ1 is auto-regulated expressed by polyamine-enhanced translational frame shifting. OAZ1 negatively controls polyamine synthesis by increasing the negative feedback loop regulating ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. The OAZ1 protein inhibits ornithine decarboxylase and speeds up its detraction.

OTOR proteins is also known as fibrocyte-derived protein (Fdp) and Melanoma inhibitory activity-like (MIAL). Otoraplin is a member of the melanoma-inhibiting activity gene family. Otoraplin is a secreted 16 kDa globular protein that is expressed in the inner ear by periotic mesenchyme and developing and mature fibrocytes. OTOR is highly homologous to MIA/cartilage-derived retinoic acid-sensitive protein (CD-RAP), which is a cartilage-specific protein that is also expressed in malignant melanoma cells. The 111 amino acid mature human otoraplin contains 1 SH3 domain (46 – 107 amino acids) and a Tyr at position 50 that is reportedly sulfated. Otoraplin takes pasrt in the initiation of periotic mesenchyme chondrogenesis.
Otoraplin is secreted through the Golgi apparatus and plays a role in cartilage development and maintenance. A frequent polymorphism in the translation start codon of OTOR can abolish translation and may be associated with forms of deafness.

PDCD1 is a cell surface membrane protein of the immunoglobulin superfamily. PDCD1 is expressed in pro-B-cells and is thought to have a role in their differentiation. In mice, expression of PDCD1 gene is induced in the thymus when anti-CD3 antibodies are injected and large numbers of thymocytes undergo apoptosis. Mice deficient for the PDCD1 gene bred on a BALB/c background developed dilated cardiomyopathy and died from congestive heart failure. These studies suggest that the PDCD1 gene product may also be important in T cell function and contribute to the prevention of autoimmune diseases.

PET117 is nuclear gene essential for the assembly of active cytochrome c oxidase in S. cerevisiae. Nevertheless the gene products are not subunits of the final assembled cytochrome c oxidase complex. PET117 is found in chromosome V proximate the HIS1 gene.

Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1 (LAMP1) is a part of the LAMP family. LAMP1 is a membrane protein which is expressed in the endosome-lysosome membranes of cells and is implicated in tumor cell metastasis. A glycoform of LAMP1 is expressed on the surface of activated macrophages and promotes T cell costimulation and a Th1 biased immune response. LAMP1 is also found on the plasma membrane during the activation of NK cells, CD8 & T cells, monocytes, basophils, and platelets.

The protein encoded by LAMP2 belongs to a family of membrane glycoproteins. This glycoprotein provides selectins with carbohydrate ligands LAMP2 takes part in tumor cell metastasis and in addition has a role in the protection, maintenance, and adhesion of the lysosome. The effect of alternative splicing of this gene is multiple transcript variants encoding distinct proteins.

Proteasome subunit alpha type-8 (PSMA8) is a member of the peptidase T1A family. PSMA8 is a multicatalytic proteinase complex which is distinguished by its ability to cleave peptides with Arg, Phe, Tyr, Leu, and Glu adjacent to the leaving group at neutral or slightly basic pH. The proteasome has an ATP-dependent proteolytic activity. The PSMA8 subunit may be testis-specific.

PSME3 is a member of the PA28 family. The 26S proteasome is an extremely organized multicatalytic proteinase complex composed of 2 complexes, a 20S core and a 19S regulator. Proteasomes are spread all over the eukaryotic cells in large quantities and cleave peptides in an ATP/ubiquitin-dependent process in a non-lysosomal pathway. PSME3 stimulates the trypsin-like catalytic subunit of the proteasome and inhibits the chymotrypsin-like and postglutamyl-preferring (PGPH) subunits. PSEM3 enables the MDM2-p53/TP53 collaboration that encourages ubiquitination- and MDM2-dependent proteasomal degradation of p53/TP53, restricting its growth and causing inhibited apoptosis after DNA damage.

Granulocyte/Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factors are cytokines that act in hematopoiesis by controlling the production, differentiation, and function of 2 related white cell populations of the blood, the granulocytes and the monocytes-macrophages. MCSF induces cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. MCSF plays a role in immunological defenses, bone metabolism, lipoproteins clearance, fertility and pregnancy.

Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins (MIP) belong to the family of chemotactic cytokines known as chemokines. In humans, there are two major forms, MIP-1a and MIP-1b that are now officially named CCL3 and CCL4 respectively. Both are major factors produced by macrophages after they are stimulated with bacterial endotoxins. They activate human granulocytes (neutrophils, eosinophilsand basophils) which can lead to acute neutrophilic inflammation. They also induce the synthesis and release of other pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1 (IL-1), IL-6 and TNF-a from fibroblasts and macrophages. The genes for CCL3 and CCL4 are both located on human chromosome 17.