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Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has a new causative agent identified as Coronavirus. SARS Associated Coronavirus Spike is one of the main surface antigens of Coronavirus, making it one of the main candidates for vaccines. Diseases caused by Coronaviruses are usually controlled by CD8 T cells.

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), also called Human herpes virus 4 (HHV-4), is a virusof the herpes family(which includes Herpes simplex virusand Cytomegalovirus. On infecting the B-lymphocyte, the linear virus genome circularizes and the virus subsequently persists within the cell as an episome. The virus can execute several distinct programs of gene expressionwhich can be broadly categorized as being lytic cycle or latent cycle. The lytic cycleor productive infection results in staged expression of a host of viral proteinswith the ultimate objective of producing infectious virions. Formally, this phase of infection does not inevitably lead to lysis of the host cellas EBV virions are produced by budding from the infected cell. The latent cycle(lysogenic) programs are those that do not result in production of virions. A very limited, distinct set of viral proteins are produced during latent cycle infection. These include Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen(EBNA)-1, EBNA-2, EBNA-3A, EBNA-3B, EBNA-3C, EBNA-leader protein (EBNA-LP) and latent membrane proteins(LMP)-1, LMP-2A and LMP-2B and the Epstein-Barr encoded RNAs(EBERs).

Homeobox protein MOX-2 (MEOX2) is a part of a family of nonclustered, diverged homeobox genes which are expressed in overlapping patterns in the paraxial mesoderm and its derivatives. MEOX2 participates in the regulation of vertebrate limb myogenesis. MEOX2 also takes part in mesoderm induction and its earliest regional specification, somitogenesis, myogenic and sclerotomal differentiation. Mutations in the related mouse MEOX2 are related with craniofacial and/or skeletal abnormalities, in addition to neurovascular dysfunction observed in Alzheimer's disease.

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.

Complement Factor D (Adipsin), which belongs to the trypsin family of peptidases, is involved in the alternative complement pathway of the complement system where it cleaves factor B. In the alternative complement pathway, Adipsin is best known for its role in humoral suppression of infectious agents. In addition, Adipsin is a serine protease which is secreted by adipocytes into the bloodstream. Ultimately, Adipsin has a high level of expression in fat, proposing a role for adipose tissue in immune system biology.

Human AIF1 protein shares 98% homology/identity with that of rat. AIF1 is expressed in macrophages and neutrophils. The expression of AIF1 transcripts is upregulated by IFN-g in rat macrophages. AIF1 is expressed selectively in human macrophage-like cell lines, and in a subset of CD68(+) macrophages in the interstitial and perivascular spaces of human heart allografts. In quiescent cultured human vascular smooth muscle cells synthesis of AIF1 is induced by IFN-g, IL1b, and conditioned medium of T-cells. Overexpression of AIF1 in human VSMCs results in enhanced growth of these cells. AIF1 is expressed during apoptosis rat mammary gland and ventral prostate tissues. Allograft Inflammatory Factor 1 is expressed by several tumor-associated activated macrophages and microglial cells in rat and human gliomas. There is an evident relationship of AIF1-expressing activated macrophages and microglial cells with tumor malignancy in humans.

The mammaglobin gene was first identified using a differential screening approach directed at the isolation of novel, human breast cancer-associated genes. Mammaglobin encodes a 10 kDa glycoprotein and is distantly relaetd to a family of epithelial secretory proteins that includes rat estramustine-binding protein/prostatein and human Clara cell 10 kDa protein (CC10)/uteroglobin. Mammaglobin, a mammary-specific member of the uterglobin family, is known to be overexpressed in human breast cancer. Studies suggest that mammaglobin is one of the first relatively mammary-specific and mammary-sensitive markers (85%). Mammaglobin may be valuable used in a panel with BRST-2 (GCDFP-15) and ER in evaluating tumors of unknown primary sites.
SCGB2A2 (the mammaglobin gene) is located on chromosome 11, at locus 11q13. SCGB2A2 is member of the secretoglobin superfamily of which is a group of small dimeric secreted and sometimes glycosylated proteins. Expressed mainly in mucosa, secretoglobins appear to be involved in cell signalling, immune response, chemotaxis, and might also serve as transporters for steroid hormones in humans.

Secernin 1 (SCRN1) which is a member of the peptidase C69 family, regulates exocytosis in mast cells. SCRN1 increases both the level of secretion and the sensitivity of mast cells to stimulation with calcium.

Dickkopf-related protein 3 (DKK3) belongs to the DKK protein family including Dkk-1, 2, 3 and -4. DKK3 is a 350 amino acid secreted glycoprotein which is comprised of an N-terminal signal peptide and 2 conserved cysteine-rich domains that are separated by a 12 amino acid linker region. DKK3 is involved in embryonic development through its inhibition of the WNT signaling pathway. DKK3 gene expression is decreased in a variety of cancer cell lines and it may act as a tumor suppressor gene.

Signal-Regulatory Protein Gamma (SIRPG) belongs to the signal-regulatory protein (SIRP) family whose members are receptor-type transmembrane glycoproteins which negatively regulate the receptor tyrosine kinase-coupled signaling processes. SIRPG is also a part of the immunoglobulin superfamily.

EMC2 is an element of the ER membrane protein complex. EMC2 is a member of the EMC2 family and holds 3 TPR repeats.

Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 21 (CCL21) is a small cytokine belonging to the CC chemokine family. This chemokine is also known as 6Ckine (because it has six conserved cysteine residues instead of the four cysteines typical to chemokines), exodus-2, and secondary lymphoid-tissue chemokine (SLC). CCL21 is expressed predominantly in the lymph nodes and, in contrast to other CC chemokines, is chemotactic for lymphocytes. The gene for CCL21 is located on human chromosome 9. CCL21 elicits its effects by binding to a cell surface chemokine receptor known as CCR7.

Tissue factor is well-known as the main cellular initiator of blood coagulation. The Tissue factor gene encodes coagulation factor III which is a cell surface glycoprotein that enables cells to initiate the blood coagulation cascades, and functions as the high-affinity receptor for the coagulation factor VII. Following vessel injury, the Tissue Factor and Factor VIIa complex activates the coagulation protease cascade, which leads to fibrin deposition and activation of platelets. The ensuing complex presents a catalytic event, which is responsible for initiation of the coagulation protease cascades by specific limited proteolysis. Therefore, Tissue factor has a role in normal hemostasis by initiating the cell-surface assembly and propagation of the coagulation protease cascade. Tissue Factor can also be stimulated by the inflammatory mediators interleukin 1 and TNF, as well as by endotoxin, to appear on monocytes and vascular endothelial cells as a component of cellular immune response.
Tissue factor is the only one in the coagulation pathway for which a congenital deficiency has not been described. Certain levels of Tissue Factor are essential for the maintained viability and growth of endothelium and Tissue Factor-expressing tumor cells. Additionally, abnormal Tissue Factor expression inside the vasculature initiates life threatening thrombosis in various diseases, for example sepsis, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Alternative spliced Tissue Factor expression advances tumor growth, and is linked to increased tumor cell proliferation and angiogenesis in pancreatic cancer.

Procollagen C-endopeptidase enhancer 1, also known as PCOLCE binds to the C-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen and enhances procollagen C-proteinase activity. In addition, C-terminal processed part of PCPE (CT-PCPE) has a metalloproteinase inhibitory activity. Among the diseases which are associated with PCOLCE: bone fracture & oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy.

TCEAL3 belongs to the transcription elongation factor A (SII)-like (TCEAL) gene family. TCEAL family members hold TFA domains and operate as nuclear phosphoproteins which control transcription in a promoter context-dependent fashion. Various family members are situated in the X chromosome.

TKT is a thiamine-dependent enzyme that takes part in the channeling of leftover sugar phosphates to glycolysis in the pentose phosphate pathway. Multiple alternatively spliced variants are known that encode the same protein.

Follistatin is a single-chain gonadal protein that specifically inhibits follicle-stimulating hormone release. The single FST gene encodes two isoforms, FST317 and FST344 containing 317 and 344 amino acids respectively, resulting from alternative splicing of the precursor mRNA. In a study in which 37 candidate genes were tested for linkage and association with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or hyperandrogenemia in 150 families, evidence was found for linkage between PCOS and follistatin. Follistatin binds directly to activin and functions as an activin antagonist. specific inhibitor of the biosynthesis and secretion of pituitary follicle stimulating hormone (fsh).

Recombinant Human Lipocalin-2 also called Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) belongs to a family of lipocans which include 25 proteins (including a1-microglobulin and b-lactoglobulin), which are characterized by their ability to bind small lipophilic substances in their hydrophobic core.
They thereby serve as transporters of substances like retinal, biliverdins & prostaglandins. There are indications that NGAL is involved in modulation of the inflammatory response and is found in the plasma of patients after stroke.

Galectins are a family of animal lectins with an affinity for beta-galactosides. This family has at least 14 identified members. Galectins share similarities in the CRD (the carbohydrate recognition domain). Galectins are synthesized as cytosolic proteins. Though localized principally in the cytoplasm and lacking a classical signal peptide, galectins can also be stimulated to secretion by non-classical pathways or alternatively targeted to the nucleus. Galectins are involved in modulating cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Human Galectin-7 belongs to the prototypical Galectins containing a single CRD, which is initially identified in human epidermis as a monomer. The Galectin-7 expression is induced by tumor suppressor protein p53 and associated with apoptosis. Galectin-7 is a pro-apoptotic protein which functions intracellularlly upstream of JNK activation and mitochondrial cytochrome c release. The correlation of Galectin-7 with the UV-induced apoptosis of keratinocytes presents a critical mechanism in the maintenance of epidermal homeostasis. Human Galectin-7 is localized in both nucleus and cytoplasm.

Galectins are a family of animal lectins with an affinity for beta-galactosides. This family has at least 14 identified members. Galectins share similarities in the CRD (the carbohydrate recognition domain). Galectins are synthesized as cytosolic proteins. Though localized principally in the cytoplasm and lacking a classical signal peptide, galectins can also be stimulated to secretion by non-classical pathways or alternatively targeted to the nucleus. Galectins are involved in modulating cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Galectin-8 is a tandem-repeat-type member of the galectin family, consisting of 2 CRDs attached by a linker peptide. Galectin-8 is greatly expressed in lung carcinomas, a number of forms of prostate carcinomas, in addition to other tumor cells. Galectin-8 attaches to a subset of cell surface integrins to modulate ECM-integrin interactions. Once immobilized, Galectin-8 promotes cell adhesion by ligation and clustering of cell surface integrin receptors. On the other hand, as a soluble ligand, Galectin-8 can inhibit cell adhesion.

LGLAS9 binds galactosides and has high affinity for the Forssman pentasaccharide. LGLAS9 participates in thymocyte-epithelial interactions relevant to the biology of the thymus and Inhibits cell proliferation. LGLAS9 is a ligand for HAVCR2/TIM3. LGLAS9 Induces T-helper type 1 lymphocyte (Th1) death. LGLAS9 performs as an eosinophil chemoattractant LGLAS9 is an S-type lectin which is over-expressed in Hodgkin's disease tissue and takes part in the interaction between the H&RS cells with their surrounding cells.

Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 3 (CXCL3) is a small cytokine belonging to the CXC chemokine family that is also known as GRO3 oncogene (GRO3), GRO protein gamma (GROg) and macrophage inflammatory protein-2-beta (MIP2b). CXCL3 controls migration and adhesion of monocytes and mediates it effects on its target cell by interacting with a cell surface chemokine receptor called CXCR2. The gene for CXCL3 is located on chromosome 4 in a cluster of other CXC chemokines.

Coproporphyrinogen Oxidase (CPOX) which is localized to the internal membrane space of erythrocytes takes part in the 6th phase of heme biosynthesis. CPOX catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of propionic acid side chains of rings A and B of coproporphyrinogen III. Mutations in human CPOX gene forecast the clinical result of the disease, with either hepatic hereditary coproporphyria or hematological manifestations of erythropoietic harderoporphyria.

Protein A is a cell wall component produced by several strains of Staphylococcus aureus. The recombinant Protein A is genetically engineered protein and holds 5 IgG-binding regions of protein A. Recombinant Protein A functions basically the same as native Protein A and is perfect for purification of polyclonal or monoclonal IgG antibodies. Protein A binds to human IgG1, IgG2 and IgG4, mouse IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 and rat IgG2c. Protein A also binds to total IgG from rabbit, pig, dog, cat, and guinea pig.