Search results

Kruppel-Like Factor 6 (KLF6) is a nuclear protein which has 3 zinc fingers. The zinc fingers of KLF6 are accountable for the specific DNA binding with the guanine-rich core promoter factors. The central region is involved in activation or posttranslational regulatory pathways, and the acidic N terminal domain takes part in the process of transcriptional activation.

NEFL or Neurofilament light polypeptide is a protein that is encoded through the NEFL gene. NEFL is correlated to a disease called Charcot–Marie–Tooth. The protein’s light subunit is determined by immunoassays in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, if present, it can indicate on axonal damage in neurological diseases. By doing so, NEFL can act as a marker for Huntington's disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and multiple sclerosis.

NANOGP8 belongs to the homeobox family of DNA binding transcription factors which is known to conserve pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. One change only separate NANOGP8 from NANOG – instead of 'Gln-253' in the inferred amino acid sequence in NANOG there is a ‘His-253’ in NANOGP8.

PBX/Knotted 1 Homeobox 1 (PKNOX1) is a DNA-binding factor which takes part in the regulation of the transcriptional activity of AP-1 containing promoters. PKNOX1, which is also known as UEF3, PRP-1 and p64, is a Hmeobox protein. PKNOX1 forms stable complexes containing PBX proteins which synergize with AP-1 binding factors.

CDKN1A holds a key part in the cellular response to DNA mutation. CDKN1A overexpression causes cell cycle to stop. When collaborating with CDK2 complexes, CDKN1A aids to prevent kinase activity and inhibits progression through G1/S. Nevertheless, CDKN1A can additionally increase assembly and activity in complexes of CDK4 or CDK6 and cyclin D. CDKN1A is a vital intermediary by which p53/TP53 facilitates its part as an inhibitor of cellular proliferation as a reaction to DNA impairment.

PRND is a membrane glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored glycoprotein which exists mainly in testis. PRND is expressed during embryogenesis, although in the central nervous system it is expressed minimally .Mutations in PRND may cause neurological disorders. PRND located on chromosome 20, about 20 kbp downstream of the gene encoding cellular prion protein, to which it is biochemically and structurally analogous.

Proteasome subunit alpha type-5 (PSMA5) is a member of the peptidase T1A family. The proteasome 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. Proteasomes are spread throughout eukaryotic cells at a high concentration and cleave peptides in an ATP/ubiquitin-dependent process in a non-lysosomal pathway. PSMA5 interacts with PLK1. The PSMA5 peptidase has a very wide-ranging specificity for cleavage of peptide bonds.

Glutamic-Pyruvate Transaminase 2 (GPT2) catalyzes the reversible transamination among alanine and 2-oxoglutarate to create pyruvate and glutamate. GPT2 expressed mainly in muscle, fat and kidney and participates in the intermediary metabolism of glucose and amino acids.

CNTF is a polypeptide hormone whose actions appear to be restricted to the nervous system where it promotes neurotransmitter synthesis and neurite outgrowth in certain neuronal populations. The protein is a potent survival factor for neurons and oligodendrocytes and may be relevant in reducing tissue destruction during inflammatory attacks. A mutation in this gene, which results in aberrant splicing, leads to ciliary neurotrophic factor deficiency, but this phenotype is not causally related to neurologic disease. In addition to the predominant monocistronic transcript originating from this locus, the gene is also co-transcribed with the upstream ZFP91 gene. Co-transcription from the two loci results in a transcript that contains a complete coding region for the zinc finger protein but lacks a complete coding region for ciliary neurotrophic factor.
CNTF is a survival factor for various neuronal cell types. Seems to prevent the degeneration of motor axons after axotomy.

BTF3L4 is a part of the NAC-beta family which contains 1 NAC-A/B (NAC-alpha/beta) domain and required for the initiation of transcription. BTF3L4 binds to polypeptide chains as they emerge from the ribosome and prevents their interaction with the SRP, which usually targets nascent secretory peptides to the ER. BTF3 is also a general transcription factor which forms a stable complex with RNA polymerase II.

ADP-ribosylation factor 5 (ARF5) is a small guanine nucleotide-binding protein which enhances the enzymatic activities of cholera toxin. ARF-dependent regulatory mechanisms include the coordination of spectrin interactions with golgi membranes and the connection of actin to the golgi via rho family-dependent G-protein localization and WASP/Arp2/3 complexes. ARF5 is involved in vesicular transport and functioning via phospholipase D activation.

Arfaptin 2 (ARFIP2) is a Rac1 binding protein essential for Rac-mediated actin polymerization and the succeeding formation of membrane ruffles and lamellipodia. ARFIP2 is a putative target protein of ADP-ribosylation factor. ARFIP2 is also involved in membrane ruffling. ARFIP2 expression is increased at sites of neurodegeneration. In addition, ARFIP2 interacts with the ADP ribosylation factor ARF6, a GTPase which associates with the plasma membrane and intracellular endosome vesicles, in a GTP dependent mode. Furthermore, Arfaptin 2 controls the aggregation of mutant Huntingtin protein by weakening proteasome function.

Prolactin is a pituitary hormone that plays a role in the stimulation of milk production, salt and water regulation, growth, development and reproduction. The primary step in its action is the binding to a specific membrane receptor (prolactin receptor) which belongs to the superfamily of class 1 cytokine receptors. Prolactin is a hormone involved in a range of significant functions including ion transport and osmoregulation, stimulation of milk, protein synthesis as well as the regulation of numerous reproductive functions. Prolactin exerts its influence on different cell types through a signal transduction pathway which begins with the binding of the hormone to a transmembrane Prolactin receptor. PRLR varies in size (short and long forms) with tissue source and species, from ~40 kDa to 100 kDa. The PRL-R consists of at least 3 separate domains: an extracellular region with 5 cysteines which contains the prolactin binding site, a single transmembrane domain and a cytoplasmic region, the length of which appears to influence ligand binding and regulate cellular function.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH), or parathormone, is secreted by the parathyroid glands as a polypeptide containing 84 amino acids. It acts to increase the concentration of calciumin the blood, whereas calcitonin (a hormone produced by the parafollicular cells of the thyroid gland) acts to decrease calcium concentration. PTH acts to increase the concentration of calcium in the blood by acting upon parathyroid hormone receptorin three parts of the body: In the bones- It enhances the release of calcium from the large reservoir contained in the bones. Bone resorption is the normal destruction of bone by osteoclasts, which are indirectly stimulated by PTH. Stimulation is indirect since osteoclasts do not have a receptor for PTH; rather, PTH binds to osteoblasts, the cells responsible for creating bone. Binding stimulates osteoblasts to increase their expression of RANKL, which can bind to osteoclast precursors containing RANK, a receptor for RANKL. The binding of RANKL to RANK stimulates these precursors to fuse, forming new osteoclasts which ultimately enhances the resorption of bone.
In the kidney- It enhances active reabsorption of calcium from distal tubules and the thick ascending limb.
In the intestine- It enhances the absorption of calcium in the intestine by increasing the production of vitamin D and upregulating the enzyme responsible for 1-alpha hydroxylationof 25-hydroxy vitamin D, converting vitamin D to its active form (1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D) which effects the actual absorption of calcium (as Ca2+ ions) by the intestine via calbindin.
Recombinant Human full length PTH 1-84 has potential as an anti-osteoporotic agent, due to its properties as a bone formation stimulant, it increases bone turnover, stimulating osteoblasts and reducing both vertebral and non vertebral fractures.

Plasmodium falciparum heat shock proteins (PfHSPs) contribute to immunopathological alterations in infected hosts PfHSP70s may have a significant function during parasite adaptation in its environments. They have also been a focus of considerable attention due to their immunodominant antigenic nature and their properties as mediators of protective immunity.

EEF1A1 is an isoform of the alpha subunit of the elongation factor-1 complex, which is responsible forthe enzymatic release of aminoacyl tRNAs to the ribosome. EEF1A1 is expressed in brain, placenta, lung, liver, kidney, and pancreas, and the other isoform (alpha 2) is expressed in brain, heart and skeletal muscle. EEF1A1 is recognized as an autoantigen in 66% of patients with Felty syndrome. EEF1A1 has multiple copies on numerous chromosomes, part of them, if not all, symbolize different pseudogenes. Among the diseases associated with EEF1A1 are tinea nigra and andcervical cancer.

GH-releasing peptides (GHRPs) are synthetic peptides that like GHRH act directly on pituitary somatotrophs to stimulate GH release. Growth hormone (GH) release is stimulated by a variety of synthetic secretagogues, of which growth hormone-releasing hexapeptide (GHRP-6) has been most thoroughly studied; it is thought to have actions at both pituitary and hypothalamic site.

Omentin is a recently recognized gene highly localized to the mental tissue (visceral adipose tissue). Omentin is present in the stromal vascular cells in the adipose tissue rather than in the adipocytes. Omentin is predominantly expressed in the visceral adipose tissue than the subcutaneous tissue, with the omentin mRNA being 150 times higher in the visceral adipose tissue. Omentin has also been detected in human blood using western blot analysis, and seems to increase insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in mice. Omentin seems to increase Akt phosphorylation irrespective of insulin presence. Its role in glucose metabolism and obesity remains to be described; an insulin-sensitizing action is possible.Differences in Omentin expression has been noted in adipose tissue from normals and patients with inflammatory bowel disease although its significance is unknown.

Glia Maturation Factor-Beta (GMF-Beta) is a 17 kDa protein nerve gorwth factor identified as a growth and differentiation factor in the vertebrate brain.

Glia Maturation Factor-Beta stimulates differentiation of normal neurons as well as glial cells. GMFB inhibits the proliferation of the N-18 neuroblastoma line and the C6 glioma line while promoting their phenotypic expression.
GMF-beta inhances the phenotypic expression of glia & neurons thus inhibits the proliferation of their respective tumors when added to cell culture. Although astrocytes produce GMF-b and stores it inside the cells, they don’t secrete the GMF-B into the cultured medium. Cell- surface GMFb acts on the target cells at close range when cells are in direct contact. GMF-Beta is produced by thymic epithelial cells and plays an important role in T cell development in favor of CD4+ T cells.
GMF-Beta is a brain-specific protein which belongs to the actin-binding proteins (ADF) family. GMF-beta appears to play a role in the differentiation, maintenance, and regeneration of the nervous system. It also supports the progression of certain auto-immune diseases, possibly through its ability to induce the production and secretion of various pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Bcl2 modifying factor, is a member of the Bcl2 protein family of apoptosis mediators. Bcl2 modifying factor is widely expressed in many tissues.
Bcl2 modifying factor contains a single Bcl2 homology domain 3 (BH3), and binds Bcl2 proteins and functions as an apoptotic activator. Also, Bcl2 modifying factor is important for histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors which alters the balance between acetylation and deacetylation, significantly increasing histone acetylation, while strongly inducing apoptosis in a variety of cancer cell types. Bcl2 modifying factor supports Bim in regulating cell death processes in response to many stimuli. A synergistic role for bim and Bcl2 modifying factor in an apoptotic pathway leading to the clearance of Neisseria gonorrhoeae -infected cells.

ALDH2 is part of the aldehyde dehydrogenase family of proteins which catalyze the chemical transformation from acetaldehyde to acetic acid. ALDH2 is the second enzyme of the major oxidative pathway of alcohol metabolism. ALDH2 has 2 major liver isoforms: cytosolic and mitochondrial, which differ by their electrophoretic mobilities, kinetic properties, and subcellular localizations. Nearly all Caucasians have 2 major isozymes, whereas roughly 50% of Orientals have only the cytosolic isozyme, omitting the mitochondrial isozyme. The extremely higher rate of acute alcohol intoxication with Orientals compared to Caucasians is due to the fact of the absence of mitochondrial isozyme. ALDH2 has a low Km for acetaldehydes, and is localized in mitochondrial matrix.

Cleavage stimulation factor subunit 1 (CSTF1) is involved in the polyadenylation and 3'end cleavage of pre-mRNAs. The CSTF1 gene encodes one of three subunits which merge to produce cleavage stimulation factor (CSTF). Like the mammalian G protein beta subunits, CSTF1 contains transducin-like repeats. CSTF1 is one of the numerous factors necessary for polyadenylation and 3'-end cleavage of mammalian pre-mRNAs. CSTF1 is responsible for the interaction of CSTF with other factors to create a stable complex on the pre-mRNA.