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Collagen triple helix repeat-containing protein 1 or CTHRC1 acts as a negative regulator of collagen matrix deposition. The protein is secreted from a 28kDa protein which is glycosylated and very conserved from lower chordates to mammals. CTHRC1 is found qualitatively in plasma of healthy human subjects. CTHRC1 plasma levels are also significantly elevated during pregnancy, in diabetes, in inflammatory and infectious conditions, in subjects with acute myeloid leukemia but not in subjects with solid cancers.CTHRC1 is highly connected with calcified tissues and cartilaginous matrix, but not with endothelial cells.

Beta Defensin 118 (DEFB118) which is a member of the beta subfamily of defensins, is found in a cluster with other beta-defensin genes on the long arm of chromosome 20. Beta-defensins are antimicrobial peptides which provide protection for tissues and organs from infection by a diversity of microorganisms. DEFB118 protein’s expression is regulated by androgen, and the encoded protein binds to sperm and exhibits antibacterial activity.

HPCAL1, participates in neuron-specific calcium-binding proteins family found in the retina and brain. HPCAL1 is extremely comparable to human hippocalcin protein and almost equal to the rat and mouse hippocalcin like-1 proteins. HPCAL1 takes part in the calcium-dependent regulation of rhodopsin phosphorylation and can have importance in neuronal signalling in the central nervous system.

Neurexophilin 1 (NXPH1) is a part of the neurexophilin family which encodes a secreted protein with a variable N terminal domain, an extremely conserved, N-glycosylated central domain, a short linker region, and a cysteine-rich Cterminal domain. NXPH1 shapes a very tight complex with alpha neurexins, a group of proteins which promote adhesion among dendrites and axons.

TIMP1 is a member of the TIMP family. TIMP1 is an inducible glycoprotein produced by various cell types. The TIMP1 glycoprotein is a natural inhibitor of the matrix metalloproteinases, which a group of peptidases involved in degradation of the extracellular matrix. TIMP1 binds in a reversible mode to MMPs, with regions in the N-terminal domain binding to the MMP substrate-binding site. On top of its inhibitory function against most of the known MMPs, TIMP1 is able to promote cell proliferation in a broad range of cell types, and may also have an anti-apoptotic role. Furthermore, TIMP1 has erthyroid-potentiating activity via translocation to the nucleus and also inhibits apoptosis in B-cells. The TIMP1 gene is situated within intron 6 of the synapsin I gene and is transcribed in the opposite direction. TIMP1 activity is dependent on the existence of disulfide bonds. TIMP1 transcription is extremely inducible in reaction to many cytokines and hormones.
Increased TIMP1 levels are connected with squamous cell laryngeal carcinoma. TIMP1 overexpression is linked to gastric cancer.

PMP2 is a small protein found in peripheral nerve myelin and spinal cord myelin, belongs to a family of fatty acid binding proteins. PMP2 partly decreases the inhibitory effect of T suppressors in the culture of immune lymph node cells. PMP2 protein is a lipid transport protein in schwann cells.

Leukocyte Cell Derived Chemotaxin 1, also known as LECT1, is a glycosylated transmembrane protein which is cleaved to form a mature, secreted protein. The mature protein encourages chondrocyte growth and inhibits angiogenesis. The mature protein takes part in endochondral bone development by permitting cartilaginous anlagen to be vascularized and replaced by bone. LECT1 is expressed in the avascular area of prehypertrophic cartilage and its expression reduces during vascular invasion and chondrocyte hypertrophy.

PRSS3 is a trypsinogen, and a member of the trypsin family of serine proteases. PRSS3 is expressed in the pancreas and brain and is unaffected by common trypsin inhibitors. It is active on peptide linkages involving the carboxyl group of lysine or arginine. PRSS3 is restricted to the locus of T cell receptor beta variable orphans on chromosome 9. 4 different isoforms encoded by 4 transcript variants were identified for this gene.

Proteasome subunit beta type-9 (PSMB9) belongs to the proteasome B-type family which is a 20S core beta subunit. PSMB9 is positioned in the class II region of the MHC (major histocompatibility complex). Expression of the PSMB9 protein is induced by INFG and this gene product replaces catalytic subunit 1 (proteasome beta 6 subunit) in the immunoproteasome.

Haptoglobin or HP is encoded by the HP gene in humans. Haptoglobin binds free hemoglobin (which is released from erythrocytes) in the blood plasma, therefore inhibits the Hb oxidative activity. The complex that contains Haptoglobin and hemoglobin will then be eliminated mostly through the spleen.

Cystatin C is part to the cystatin protein family, which has members with various cystatin-like sequences. Part of the proteins has the ability to act as active cysteine protease inhibitors, other members has lost or never had the ability. Three sub members of the cystatin protein family are the type 1 cystatins, type 2 cystatins & kininogens. The locus in chromosome twenty holds the most type 2 cystatin genes. Cystatin C can be found in the cystatin locus, it is the most common extracellular inhibitor of cysteine proteases, that is available in big volumes in biological fluids and exist in every tissue in the body.

Lamin-A is a major component of the nuclear lamina, a dynamic meshwork located just under the nuclear envelope and it is encoded by lamin A/C gene (LMNA).
Lamin-A is synthesized as Prelamin A, a longer precursor that in vivo goes through a serial post-translational modifications that lead to mature Lamin A.
Diverse mutations in the Lamin A/C gene are associated with different diseases that are collectively called laminophaties, including Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, familiar partial lipodystrophy, limb girdle muscular dystrophy, dilated cardiomyopathy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, and Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

CFD is an important component of the alternative pathway of complement activation. CFD cleaves and activates factor B when it binds C3b or a C3b-like protein such as C3 or CVF. CFD is a serine protease that exists as a mature protease, but it exhibits a highly restricted specificity and it appears to be substrate activated. CFD cleaves factor B bound to C3b leading to the release of the Ba fragment and leaving the Bb fragment bound to C3b. The C3b,Bb complex is called a C3 or C5 convertase because it converts these proteins to their active forms by cleaving off the small peptides C3a and C5a, respectively.

Cystatins are a superfamily of cysteine proteinase inhibitors found in both plants and animals. They comprise a group of proteinase inhibitors, widely distributed in tissues and body fluids, and form tight complexes with cysteine proteases such as cathepsin B, H, L and S. Cystatin C, a secreted molecule of this family, is of interest from biochemical, medicine and evolutionary points of view. Cystatin C, with molecular weight of 13260 Da, is composed of 120 amino acids, lacks carbohydrate and has two disulfide bridges located near the carboxyl terminus. Cystatin C is increased in patients with malignant diseases, and is related to the insufficiency of renal function and appears to be a better marker than creatinine. On the other hand, low levels of cystatin C involve cause the breakdown of the elastic laminae and, subsequently, the atherosclerosis and abdominal aortic aneurysm.

SURF1 plays a role in the biogenesis of the COX complex. SURF1 is found in the inner mitochondrial membrane and takes part in the biogenesis of the cytochrome c oxidase complex. SURF1 is shares a bidirectional promoter with SURF2 on the opposite strand. Defects in this SURF1 cause Leigh syndrome, a rigorous neurological disorder that is generally associated with systemic cytochrome c oxidase deficiency.

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a chemokine produced by macrophages and other cell types such as epithelial cells. It is also synthesized by endothelial cells, which store IL-8 in their storage vesicles, the Weibel-Palade bodies. When first encountering an antigen, the primary cells to encounter it are the macrophages who phagocytose the particle. Upon processing, they release chemokines to signal other immune cells to come in to the site of inflammation. IL-8 is one such chemokine. It serves as a chemical signal that attracts neutrophils at the site of inflammation, and therefore is also known as Neutrophil Chemotactic Factor.

Lysostaphin, an endopeptidase specific for the cell wall peptidoglycan of staphylococci, is an extremely potent anti-staphylococcal agent. Lysostaphin is used as a research and diagnostic tool. Because it lyses staphylococci efficiently, it is widely used when preparing staphylococcal DNA or other cellular components for genetic and biochemical studies and for the preparation of protoplasts for transformation. Preparation and analysis of bacterial DNA has become a powerful tool used by clinical and other microbiologists in epidemiological studies aimed at tracing sources of infection or bacterial contamination.

Cytokeratin 5 (KRT5) belongs to the keratin gene family. The type II cytokeratins are comprised of basic or neutral proteins which are arranged in pairs of heterotypic keratin chains coexpressed throughout differentiation of simple and stratified epithelial tissues. The type II cytokeratins are clustered in a region of chromosome 12q12-q13. The KRT5 type II cytokeratin is specifically expressed in the basal layer of the epidermis with family member KRT14. Mutations in these genes are linked with a complex of diseases termed epidermolysis bullosa simplex.

Gankyrin (proteasome 26S subunit) is a multicatalytic proteinase oncoprotein commonly overexpressed in most hepatocellular carcinomas. Proteasomes are found throughout eukaryotic cells at a high concentrations and cleave peptides in an ATP/ubiquitin-dependent process in a non-lysosomal pathway. Gankyrin interacts with S6 ATPase of the 19S regulatory particle of the 26S proteasome. Gankyrin is involved in theregulation of the phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein by CDK4, and to enhance the ubiquitinylation of p53 by MDM2. Gankyrin consists of 7 ankyrin repeats and is structurally similar to I kappa Bs. Gankyrin acts as a regulatory subunit of the 26s proteasome which is involved in the atp-dependent degradation of ubiquitinated proteins. Gankyrin is involved in progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. gankyrin plays an oncogenic role especially in early stages of human epatocarcinogenesis. Gankyrin binds to NF-kappaB and suppresses its activity at the transcription level by modulating acetylation through SIRT1. Structural comparison between Gankyrin & p16(INK4A) identified numerous residues of gankyrin that are potentially important for CDK4 binding.

A fusion tag called FLAG consists of eight amino acids (AspTyrLysAspAspAspAspLys) including an enterokinase-cleavage site. FLAG is specifically designed for immunoaffinity chromatography. It allows elution under non-denaturing conditions. Several antibodies against this peptide have been developed. One antibody denoted as M1 binds the peptide in the presence of bivalent metal cations preferably Ca(+). Elution is effected by chelating agents. Another strategy is competitive elution with excess of free Flag Peptide.
The FLAG peptide purifies and detects recombinant fusion proteins. FLAG peptide is useful in Western blotting, immunocytochemistry, immunoprecipitation, flow cytometry, protein purification, and in the study of protein-protein interactions, cell ultrastructure, and protein localization. Flag peptide is a hydrophilic tag which significantly improves the detection and purification of recombinant fusion proteins.

E-selectin which is also called Endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule 1, ELAM1, ELAM belongs to a family of divalent cation-dependent carbohydrate-binding glycoproteins or adhesion molecules. Eselectin is expressed on the surface of endothelial cells and mediates the interaction of leukocytes and platelets with endothelial cells during an inflammatory response. E-selectin is present in single copy in the human genome and contains 14 exons spanning about 13 kb of DNA.