Search results

Activins are homodimers or heterodimers of the different β subunit isoforms, part of the TGFβ family. Mature Activin A has two 116 amino acids residues βA subunits (βA-βA). Activin displays an extensive variety of biological activities, including mesoderm induction, neural cell differentiation, bone remodelling, haematopoiesis, and reproductive physiology. Activins takes part in the production and regulation of hormones such as FSH, LH, GnRH and ACTH. Cells that are identified to express Activin A include fibroblasts, endothelial cells, hepatocytes, vascular smooth muscle cells, macrophages, keratinocytes, osteoclasts, bone marrow monocytes, prostatic epithelium, neurons, chondrocytes, osteoblasts, Leydig cells, Sertoli cells, and ovarian granulosa cells.

AKR1A1 is part of the aldo/keto reductase superfamily, it catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reduction from a range of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes to their related alcohols. AKR1A1 corresponds (65% identity) to aldose reductase, an enzyme that takes part in the pathogenesis of some diabetic and galactosemic complications. AKR1A1 is involved in the activation of procarcinogens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon trans-dihydrodiols, and in the metabolism of various xenobiotics and drugs.

B-cell CLL/lymphoma 7A (BCL7A) is a member of the BCL7 family. BCL7A is directly involved, with Myc and IgH, in a three-way gene translocation in a Burkitt lymphoma cell line. Thru gene translocation, the N-terminal region of the BCL7A gene is disrupted, which is assumed to be connected to the pathogenesis of a subset of high-grade B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The N-terminal portion involved in the translocation includes the region which shares a compelling sequence similarity with those of BCL7B and BCL7C. Chromosomal anomalies involving BCL7A may be a cause of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Src-Like-Adaptor 2, also known as SLA2, is a part of the SLAP family of adapter proteins. SLA2 acts as a significant receptor-proximal in downregulating T and B cell-mediated responses and inhibits antigen receptor-induced calcium mobilization. SLA2 interacts with Cas-Br-M (murine) ecotropic retroviral transforming sequence c.

RAD51D is a member of the RAD51 protein family whose members are extremely similar to bacterial RecA and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad51. RAD51 protein family members take part in the homologous recombination and repair of DNA. RAD51D forms a complex with several other members of the RAD51 family which catalyzes homologous pairing between single- and double-stranded DNA, and participates in the early stage of recombinational repair of DNA.

Activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (ARC) takes part in the regulation of cell morphology and cytoskeletal organization and is required for consolidation of synaptic plasticity as well as formation of long-term memory. ARC regulates endocytosis of AMPA receptors in response to synaptic activity and is also required for homeostatic synaptic scaling of AMPA receptors. ARC is required in the stress fiber dynamics and cell migration.

The SARS Nucleocaspid is a protein that has a crucial structural importance, by making the virions associates with the RNA genome and therefore create a nucleocapsid that has the specific helical form. There has been found 3 different domain structures to the nucleocapsid antigen. This protein contains 3 outer structural proteins, the membrane (M), envelope (E), and spike (S) proteins.

Hexokinases phosphorylate glucose to produce glucose-6-phosphate, thus committing glucose to the glycolytic pathway. Hexokinase 2 is the predominant form found in skeletal muscle. It localizes to the outer membrane of mitochondria. Expression of this gene is insulin-responsive, and studies in rat suggest that it is involved in the increased rate of glycolysis seen in rapidly growing cancer cells.

Calcipressin-3 (RCAN3) takes part in central nervous system development. RCAN3 inhibits calcineurin-dependent transcriptional responses by binding to the catalytic domain of calcineurin A. Overexpression of calcipressin-3 results in inhibition of calcineurin activity towards the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) transcription factors and also downregulates NFAT-dependent cytokine gene expression in activated Jurkat T-cells. Highest expression takes place s in heart, skeletal muscle kidney, liver and peripheral blood leukocytes.

Interleukin-1 ra is a member of the interleukin 1 cytokine family. This protein inhibits the activities of interleukin 1, alpha (IL1A) and interleukin 1, beta (IL1B), and modulates a variety of interleukin 1 related immune and inflammatory responses. This gene and five other closely related cytokine genes form a gene cluster spanning approximately 400 kb on chromosome 2. A polymorphism of this gene is reported to be associated with increased risk of osteoporotic fractures and gastric cancer. Four alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been reported.

Acireductone dioxygenase 1 (ADI1) is a part of the acireductone dioxygenase family of metal-binding enzymes, which are involved in methionine salvage. ADI1 regulates mRNA processing in the nucleus, and carries out different functions depending on its localization. Related pseudogenes have been defined on chromosomes 8 and 20. ADI1 down-regulates cell migration arbitrated by MMP14.

RAB31 Member RAS Oncogene Family (RAB31) is a 194 amino lipid-anchored protein which localizes to the cytoplasmic side of the cell membrane and is a member of the Ras related GTPase superfamily. RAB31 is expressed at high levels in the lung, brain and heart. RAB31 functions in a similar mode to other Rab proteins, namely playing a part in protein transport. Small GTP-binding proteins of the RAB family, for example RAB31, play critical roles in vesicle and granule targeting. RAB31 gas the highest expression in the placenta and brain with lower levels in the heart and lung. However, RAB31 is not detected in liver, skeletal muscle, kidney or pancreas.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 is the principal inhibitor of tissue plasminogen activator(tPA) and uPA, the activators of plasminogenand hence fibrinolysis(the physiological breakdown of blood clots). It is a serine protease inhibitor(serpin) protein (SERPINE1). The other PAI, plasminogen activator inhibitor-2(PAI-2) is secreted by the placentaand only present in significant amounts during pregnancy. In addition, protease nexinacts as an inhibitor of tPA. SERPINE1, however, is the main inhibitor of the plasminogen activators.

Purine-Rich Element Binding Protein B (PURB) is a single-stranded DNA-binding protein which takes part in the dendritic transport of a subset of mRNAs. PURB operates as repressor in myoblasts and fibroblasts in the control of vascular smooth muscle alpha-actin gene transcription. PURB binds preferentially to the single strand of the purine-rich element termed PUR, which is present at origins of replication and in gene flanking regions in various eukaryotes from yeasts through humans.

P-Selectin also called Platelet Alpha-Granule Membrane Protein, CD62, and Granulocyte Membrane Protein GRMP belongs to a family of divalent cation-dependent carbohydrate-binding glycoproteins or adhesion molecules. Pselectin is expressed transiently on the surface of activated platelets and endothelial cells. P-Selectin is a 140 kDa protein which is stored in the alpha-granules of platelets and Weibel-Palade bodies of endothelial cells. Secreted P-selectin is thought to play a key role in the adhesion of platelets to monocytes and neutrophils during an inflammatory response. P-Selectin is a calcium-dependent receptor that binds to sialylated forms of Lewis blood group carbohydrate antigens on neutrophils and monocytes. Levels of P-Selectin may be elevated in a number of pathological conditions.

HSP90B1 is an abundant molecular chaperone resident endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumenal stress protein which is part of the Hsp90 family. HSP90B1 is involved in maintaining protein homeostasis in the secretory pathway as well as functioning in the intracellular trafficking of peptides from the extracellular space to the MHC class I antigen processing pathway of antigen presentation cells. HSP90B1 has key roles in signal transduction, protein folding, protein degradation, and morphologic evolution. HSP90B1 protein associates with numerous cochaperones and involved in folding of newly synthesized proteins or stabilizing and refolding denatured proteins after stress. HSP90B1 is highly expressed in human gastric carcinoma BGC-823 cells during the whole cell cycle.

PEST proteolytic signal containing nuclear protein (PCNP) is a nuclear protein involved in cell cycle regulation and tumorigenesis. The PCNP protein is ubiquitinated post-translationally by NIRF (an ubiquitin ligase). The PCNP exists as 3 isoforms produced by alternative splicing events.

Ubiquitin-Like 4A (UBL4A) contains one ubiquitin-like domain. UBL4A is a component of the BAT3 complex, which is a multiprotein complex involved in the post-translational delivery of tail-anchored (TA) membrane proteins to the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. Post-translational modification by ubiquitin and ubiquitin-related proteins plays decisive roles in protein degradation and in regulation of crucial cellular processes. Due to the fact that in mammals, transcription halts during late spermiogenesis as a result of compaction of the spermatid genome, which creates a special need for robust post-transcriptional regulation.

Prefoldin subunit 3 (VBP1) is a member of the prefoldin subunit alpha family. VBP1 interacts with the Von Hippel-Lindau protein in order to create an intracellular complex. Since VBP1 serves as a chaperone protein, it is assumed to have a role in the transport of the Von Hippel-Lindau protein from the perinuclear granules to the nucleus or cytoplasm. VBP1 binds specifically to cytosolic chaperonin (c-CPN) and transfers target proteins to it. VBP1 also binds to nascent polypeptide chain and stimulates folding in an environment in which there are numerous competing pathways for nonnative proteins.

BTLA, also known as B & T Lymphocyte Associated, is an inhibitory molecule which is part of the Ig superfamily. BTLA is a type 1 transmembrane glycoprotein in the CD28 family of T cell costimulatory molecules. BTLA is a 3rd inhibitory receptor on T lymphocytes with resemblances to CTLA-4 & PD-1. Moreover, BTLA is a ligand for TNF (receptor) superfamily, TNFRSF14, and HVEM. BTLA-HVEM complexes negatively regulate T-cell immune responses.

SMARCA4 belongs to the SWI/SNF family of proteins and is similar to the brahma protein of Drosophila. Proteins in this family have helicase and ATPase activities and are considered to regulate transcription ofcertain genes by altering the chromatin structure around those genes. SMARCA4 is part of the large ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex SNF/SWI, which is essential for transcriptional activation of genesnormally repressed by chromatin. In addition, SMARCA4 is able to bind BRCA1, as well as regulating the expression ofthe tumorigenic protein CD44. Moreover, mutations in SMARCA4 cause rhabdoid tumor predisposition syndrome type 2.

RAP1B is a member of a superfamily of RAS-like small GTP-binding proteins which takes part in cell signaling. RAP1B owns an intrinsic GTPase activity and is universally expressed in mammalian tissues. The alleged effector domain of Ras proteins, whose integrity is required for cell transformation as well as interaction with the putative effector protein GAP, is conserved in both Rap 1 proteins.

PRRX1 is part of the paired family of homeobox proteins. PRRX1 functions as a transcription co-activator, enhancing the DNA-binding activity of serum response factor, a protein required for the induction of genes by growth and differentiation factors. PRRX1 also regulates muscle creatine kinase, and therefore has a part in the establishment of diverse mesodermal muscle types. The protein binds to an A/T-rich element in the muscle creatine enhancer. Among the diseases associated with PRRX1 are agnathia-otocephaly complex, and pleomorphic liposarcoma.