Search results

Stratifin is part of the 14-3-3 family. The 14-3-3 family of proteins plays an important regulatory function in signal transduction, checkpoint control, apoptotic and nutrient-sensing pathways. 14-3-3 proteins are highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed. There are 7 isoforms, beta, gamma, epsilon, sigma, zeta, tau and eta that have been identified in mammals. Stratifin is an epithelial cell marker that functions as a tumor suppressor whose expression can be down regulated via methylation. Failure of Stratifin expression results in a defective G2/M phase checkpoint and results in epithelial and non-epithelial tumorigenesis.

CTDSP1 is a class 2C phosphatase with activity dependent on the conserved DxD motif. CTDSP1 preferentially catalyzes the dephosphorylation of 'Ser-5' within the tandem 7 residues repeats in the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest RNA polymerase II subunit POLR2A. In addition, CTDSP1 negatively regulates RNA polymerase II transcription, possibly by controlling the transition from initiation/capping to processive transcript elongation.

Protein modification with ubiquitin is an essential cellular mechanism for targeting abnormal or short-lived proteins for degradation. Ubiquitination involves at least 3 classes of enzymes: ubiquitin-activating enzymes (E1s) ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes (E2s) and ubiquitin-protein ligases (E3s). Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzyme E2G (UBE2G1) belongs to the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme family and catalyzes the covalent attachment of ubiquitin to other proteins. UE2G1 protein is involved in degradation of muscle-specific proteins.

UbcH12 is functional in in vitro NEDDylation reactions. It has been shown to form a thioester linkage with NEDD8 in the presence of the NEDD8 activating enzyme complex Uba3/APP-BP1. APP-BP1 binds to the amyloid precursor protein (APP) carboxy terminal domain and is important in conjunction with Uba3 and UbcH12 in driving cells through the S to M checkpoint. It was demonstrated to be the E2 responsible for the NEDDylation of the Cul-1 component of the SCF (?-TRCP) complex which is important as the E3-ligase in the ubiquitinylation of I?B?. NEDDylation of Cul-1 is essential for conjugation and processing of NF-?B p105 by SCF (?-TRCP) following phosphorylation of the complex. A dominant negative form of UbcH12, previously demonstrated to sequester NEDD8 and inhibit its conjugation, inhibits both conjugation and processing of p105, which is alleviated by wild-type UbcH12.

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase isozyme 2 (FBP2) is a part of the FBPase class 1 family. FBP2 is a gluconeogenesis regulatory enzyme Which catalyzes the hydrolysis of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate to fructose 6-phosphate and inorganic phosphate.

Phosphopantothenate-cysteine ligase (PPCS) catalyzes the first step in the biosynthesis of coenzyme A (CoA) from pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), which is a vital universal pathway in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. PPCS, being one of the last enzymes in this pathway, converts phosphopantothenate to phosphopantothenoylcysteine.

GCSF is a cytokine that controls the production, differentiation, and function of granulocytes. The active protein is found extracellularly. Three transcript variants encoding three different isoforms have been found for the GCSF gene. 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. This csf induces granulocytes.

GLP-2 functions as an intestinal growth factor, which stimulates intestinal epithelial growth. GLP2 is involved in diabetes-associated bowel growth. GLP2 enhances cell differentiation, playing a role as a cytokine and in tissue regeneration, and mediating cytoprotection. GLP2 is invloded numerous therapeutic applications. GLP2 regulates signaling pathways coupled to cell proliferation and cell death by apoptosis.
GLP-2 is produced by specific post-translational proteolytic cleavage of proGLP. GLP-2 is manufactured by the intestinal endocrine L cell and by several neurons in the central nervous system.

ALDH1A1 is part of the aldehyde dehydrogenases family.
Aldehyde dehydrogenase is the 2nd protein of the main oxidative pathway of alcohol metabolism. Cytosolic and mitochondrial are 2 main liver isoforms of ALDH that are differentiateed by their electrophoretic mobility, kinetic property, & subcellular localization. The majority of Caucasians have two main isozymes, whereas just about 50% of Orientals have only the cytosolic form, excluding the mitochondrial form. ALDH1A1 is also a member of the group of corneal crystallins that assist the transparency of the cornea.
(Retinal + NAD+ + H2O = retinoate + NADH).

UBE2D2 belongs to the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme family. UBE2D2 takes part in the ubiquitination of the tumor-suppressor protein p53, which is induced by an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase. UBE2D2 catalyzes ubiquitination of IkB-alpha in a SCFB-TRCP and phosphorylation dependent method.

Ectonucleotide Pyrophosphatase-2, aka ENPP2, a part of the ectonucleotide pyrophosphatasefamily. ENPP2 is able to cut the phosphodiester bond between the alpha and the beta position of triphosphate nucleotides, acting as an ectonucleotide phosphodiesterase producing pyrophosphate, as most members of the ENPP family. It is unlike ENPP-1 and ENPP-3, has weak activity against nucleotides, but shows a lysophospholipase D activity which allows the formation of LPA and choline from lysophosphatidylcholine. As well, ENPP-2 and LPA are involved in several inflammatory-driven diseases such as arthritis and asthma.

Fibroblast Growth Factors (FGFs) comprise a family of at least eighteen structurally realted proteins that are involved in a multitude of physiological and pathological cellular processes, including cell growth, differentation, angiogenesis, wound healing and tumorgenesis. The biological activities of the FGFs are mediated by a family if type I transmembrane tyrosine kinases which undergo dimerization and autophosphorylation after ligand binding. Four distinct genes encoding closely related FGF receptors, FGFR-1to -4 are known. Multiple forms of FGFR-1 to -3 are generated by alternative splicing of the mRNAs. A frequent splicing event involving FGFR-1 and -2 results in receptors containing all three Ig domains, referred to as the alpha isoform, or only IgII and IgIII, referred to as the ? isoform. Only the alpha isoform has been identified for FGFR-3 and FGFR-4. Additional splicing events for FGFR-1 to -3, involving the C-terminal half of the IgIII domain encoded by two mutually exclusive alternative exons, generate FGF receptors with alternative IgIII domains (IIIb and IIIc). A IIIa isoform which is a secreted FGF binding protein containing only the N-terminal half of the IgIII domain plus some intron sequences has also been reported for FGFR-1. Mutations in FGFR-1 to -3 have been found in patients with birth defects involving craniosynostosis.

LCAT is an extracellular cholesterol esterifying enzyme, lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase. The esterification of cholesterol is required for cholesterol transport. LCAT is a essential enzyme in the extracellular metabolism of plasma lipoproteins.

Tyrosylprotein Sulfotransferase 1, also known as TPST1 is the enzyme which catalyzes the sulfation reaction of protein tyrosines, a post-translational modification of proteins. TPST1 belongs to the protein sulfotransferase family. In addition, TPST1 utilizes 3'-Phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) as the sulfonate donor and also binds proteins with target tyrosineresidues to eventually form the tyrosine O-sulfate ester group in addition to the desulfonated 3’-phosphoadenosine-5’-phosphate.

Heparanase is an endo β-D-glucuronidase, which degrades heparan sulfate side chains of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) in the extracellular matrix. Heparanase plays an important role in ECM degradation, facilitating the migration and extravasation of tumor cells and inflammatory leukocytes (1,2,3). Upon degradation, heparanase releases growth factors and cytokines that stimulate cell proliferation and chemotaxis (4,5). Heparanase is a heterodimer comprised of a 50 kDa subunit harboring the active site and a 8 kDa subunit. It is produced as a latent 65 kDa precursor and proteolytically processed to its active form (1,6). Heparanase is highly expressed in myeloid leukocytes (i.e. neutrophils) in platelets and in human placenta. Human heparanase was found to be upregulated in various types of primary tumors, correlating in some cases with increased tumor invasiveness and vascularity and with poor prospective survival (7,8).

MTHSFD, also known as Methenyltetrahydrofolate Synthetase Domain Containing protein, is linked to Pancreas, Annular and Gastrointestinal Defects. It has also been associated with Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Some of the Gene Ontology annotations that are related to the MTHSFD gene are nucleic acid binding and nucleotide binding.

Dual specificity phosphatase 18 (DUSP18) belongs to the dual-specificity phosphatase (DSP) family, which catalyzes dephosphorylation of phosphotyrosine and phosphothreonine residues. DUSP18 has a preferential enzymatic activity for phosphorylated tyrosine residues over threonine residues, in addition DUSP18 dephosphorylates p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP) in vitro. Furthermore, DUSP18 is inhibited by iodoarectic acid and is activated by manganese ions. DUSP18 is extensively expressed with the highest levels in the liver, brain, ovary and testis.

NUDT9 is a member of a superfamily of Nudix hydrolases. NUDT9 functions as a highly specific adenosine diphosphate ribose pyrophosphatase which hydrolyzes ADP ribose to AMP and ribose 5'-phosphate. In addition, NUDT9 may be involved in the regulation of the menstrual cycle and may be related to the proliferation of glandular cells in the human endometrium.

GMFB is part of the GMF subfamily of the larger actin-binding protein ADF family. GMFB is phosphorylated after phorbol ester stimulation, and is crucial for the nervous system. GMFB causes brain cell differentiation, stimulates neural regeneration and inhibits tumor cell proliferation. GMFB overexpression in astrocytes results in the increase of BDNF production. GMFB expression is increased by exercise, thus BDNF is important for exercise-induction of BDNF.

DUSP21 is a member of the protein-tyrosine phosphatase family. DUSPs inactivate their target kinases by dephosphorylating both the phosphoserine/threonine and phosphotyrosine residuesb. DUSP21 is able to dephosphorylate single and diphosphorylated synthetic MAPK peptides, favoring the phosphotyrosine and diphosphorylated forms over phosphothreonine. DUSP21 is only expressed in testis where there are dephosphorylated phosphotyrosine residues in MAPK peptides.

Phosphoglucomutase-1 also known as PGM1 is a member of the phosphohexose mutase family. There are more than a few PGM isozymes, which catalyze the transfer of phosphate between the 1&6positions of glucose. In nearly all cell types, PGM1 isozymes predominate, representing around 90% of total PGM activity.It has been found that defects in PGM1 are the cause of glycogen storage disease type 14.

Mouse Lungkine/CXCL15 (WECHE) belongs to the ELR motif-containing CXC chemokines. The mouse Lungkine gene has been mapped to chromosome 5. The cDNA of mouse Lungkine encodes a 166 amino acids (aa) protein with a 25 aa predicted signal peptide and a 141 aa mature protein with an exceptionally long C-terminal tail which extends beyond beyond the chemokine fold. Lungkine protein is secreted into bronchoalveolar space and is involved in lung-specific neutrophils trafficking. Furthermore, studies in Lungkine knockout mice propose that Lungkine is an imperative mediator of neutrophil migration from the lung parenchyma into the airspace. In addition, Lungkine is chemotactic for bone marrow progenitor cells and modulates hematopoietic cell differentiation. By Northern blot analysis and in-situ hybridization, Lungkine transcripts have only been specifically detected in the adult and fetal lung, and its expression is up-regulated under inflammatory conditions. There is a 35% aa sequence similarity between the mouse Lungkine and the human ENA-78 and a 31% similarity with the human IL-8.

Carbohydrate Sulfotransferase 5 (CHST5) is a Golgi-embedded enzyme that is found in B cells, T cells and intestinal epithelium and is also mediates sulfation of keratan in cornea. CHST5 is a sulfotransferase that utilizes 3'-phospho-5'-adenylyl sulfate (PAPS) as sulfonate donor to catalyze the transfer of sulfate to position 6 of non-reducing N-acetylglucosamine residues of keratan. CHST5 works on the non-reducing terminal GlcNAc of short andlong carbohydrate substrates that have poly-N-acetyllactosamine structures.

This E2 enzyme encodes for the human homolog of the yeast DNA repair gene RAD6, which is induced by DNA damaging agents. UBE2B can conjugate ubiquitin to histone H2A in an E3- independent manner in vitro, and is essential for the multi-ubiquitination and degradation of N-end rule substrates. Additionally, UBE2B may have a role in sepsis-induced muscle protein proteolysis and cancer-induced cachexia.