Search results

SOX2 is a transcription factor that forms a trimeric complex with OCT4 on DNA and controls the expression of a number of genes involved in embryonic development such as YES1, FGF4, UTF1 and ZFP206. SOX4 is important for early embryogenesis and for embryonic stem cell pluripotency.

Phosphoglycerate mutase 2 (PGAM2) is a member of the phosphoglycerate mutase family. PGAM is a dimeric enzyme which contains in separate tissues, different proportions of a slow-migrating muscle (MM) isozyme, a fast-migrating brain (BB) isozyme, and a hybrid form (MB). PGAM (Phosphoglycerate mutase) catalyzes the reversible reaction of 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PGA) to 2-phosphoglycerate (2-PGA) in the glycolytic pathway. PGAM2 gene mutations cause muscle phosphoglycerate mutase efficiency, otherwise known as glycogen storage disease X.

Glutathione S-transferase Mu 2 (GSTM2) belongs to the glutathione s-transferase (GST) family of proteins. GSTM2 is a glutathione S-transferase that belongs to the mu class. There are 8 families of GST proteins, specifically: alpha, kappa, mu, omega, pi, sigma, theta and zeta, each of which is composed of proteins that have various functions throughout the cell. The mu class of enzymes functions in the detoxification of electrophilic compounds, including carcinogens, therapeutic drugs, environmental toxins and products of oxidative stress, by conjugation with glutathione. The genes encoding the mu class of enzymes are structured in a gene cluster on chromosome 1p13.3 and are proven to be highly polymorphic. These genetic variants can change an individual''s susceptibility to carcinogens and toxins as well as have an effect on the toxicity and efficacy of several drugs.

Major histocompatibility complex, class II, DR alpha (HLA-DRA) belongs to the MHC class II family. HLA-DRA binds peptides derived from antigens which access the endocytic route of antigen presenting cells (APC) and presents them on the cell surface for identification by the CD4 T-cells. The peptide binding cleft accommodates peptides of 10-30 residues. The peptides presented by MHC class II molecules are generated mainly by degradation of proteins which access the endocytic route, where they are processed by lysosomal proteases and other hydrolases.

Glycogen phosphorylase is one of the phosphorylaseenzymes(EC2.4.1.1). It breaks up glycogeninto glucosesubunits. Glycogenis left with one less glucosemolecule, and the free glucosemolecule is in the form of glucose-1-phosphate. In order to be used for metabolism, it must be converted to glucose-6-phosphateby the enzyme phosphoglucomutase.
Glycogen phosphorylase can only act on linearchainsof glycogen(a 1-4 glycosidic linkage). Its work will immediately come to a halt four residues away from a 1-6 branch(which are exceedingly common in glycogen). In these situations, a debranching enzymeis necessary, which will straighten out the chain in that area. Additionally, an alpha 1-6 glucosidaseenzymeis required to break the remaining 1-6 residue that remains in the new linear chain. After all this is done, glycogen phosphorylase can continue.
An insulinstimulated enzyme known as phosphoprotein phosphatase(PP-1) inactivates glycogen phosphorylase to prevent glycogen break up.
GPBB - a sensitive marker for the AMI diagnosis within 4 hours after the onset of chest pain. It has also been shown that GPBB is increased in a considerable proportion of AMI patients within 2-3 hours from chest pain onset. GPBB is increased early in patients with unstable angina. GPBB can also be a sensitive marker for the detection of peri-operative myocardial ischaemia and infarction in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

P450 Oxidoreductase, also known as POR is a flavoprotein which contributes electrons to all microsomal P450 enzymes. POR is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, where it is also capable of transfering electrons to heme oxygenase as well as cytochrome b5. POR is structurally related to two separate flavoprotein families; first one is ferredoxin nucleotide reductase and the second flavodoxin.

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.

Polymerase (RNA) I (DNA directed) Polypeptide C (POLR1C) is a subunit of both RNA polymerase I and RNA polymerase III complexes whose defects are related with Collins syndrome. POLR1C is a protein-coding gene and is part of the Pol core element

Phosducin-like protein (PDCL) is a member of the phosducin family. PDCL is a putative modulator of heterotrimeric G proteins. PDCL shares broad amino acid sequence homology with phosducin, a phosphoprotein expressed in the retina and pineal gland. Both PDCL and phosphoducin regulate G-protein signaling by binding to the beta-gamma subunits of G proteins.

PPP3CA (aka Calcineurin A) is a major soluble calmodulin binding protein in the brain and a Ca2+/calmodulin dependent serine/threonine protein phosphatase, with a relatively limited substrate specificity. PPP3CA activates the T cells of the immune system and can be blocked by drugs. PPP3CA activates NFATc (a transcription factor) by dephosphorylating it. The activated NFATc is subsequently translocated into the nucleus, where it upregulates the expression of interleukin 2.

APRT is part of the purine/pyrimidine phosphoribosyltransferase family. APRT enzyme catalyzes the formation of AMP and inorganic pyrophosphate from adenine and 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate (PRPP). APRT produces adenine as a by-product of the polyamine biosynthesis pathway. A homozygous deficiency in APRT causes 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis. APRT catalyzes a salvage reaction resulting in the formation of AMP.

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a ligand molecule which induces apoptosis. It is a type II transmembrane protein with homology to other members of the tumor necrosis factor family.In humans, the gene that encodes for TRAIL is located at chromosome 3q26. TRAIL binds to the death receptors, DR4 and DR5. The process of apoptosis is caspase-8-dependent. This protein preferentially induces apoptosis in transformed and tumor cells, but does not appear to kill normal cells although it is expressed at a significant level in most normal tissues.

Phosphomannomutase 2 (PMM2) is a member of the eukaryotic PMM family. Phosphomannomutase 2 is involved in the synthesis of the GDP-mannose and dolichol-phosphate-mannose required for a number of critical mannosyl transfer reactions. PMM2 catalyzes the isomerization of mannose 6-phosphate to mannose 1-phosphate. PMM2 mutations are linked to congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG)-Ia, an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by central nervous system dysfunction and multiorgan failure.

UCK2 is a member of the uridinekinase family. UCK2 catalyzes the phosphorylation of uridine monophosphate to uridine diphosphate and cytidine monophosphate. UCK2 has a part in the production of pyrimidine nucleoside triphosphates essential for RNA and DNA synthesis. Furthermore, an allele of this gene is an important player in mediating nonhumoral immunity to Hemophilus influenzae type B.

PFDN6 is a subunit of the heteromeric prefoldin complex that chaperones developing actin and alpha- and beta-tubulin chains until they are transferred to the cytosolic chaperonin containing TCP1 (CCT) complex. PFDN6 binds specifically to cytosolic chaperonin (c-CPN), transfers target proteins to it and bind to developing polypeptide chain to promote folding in a setting where there are many competing pathways for nonnative proteins.

HPGD is the essential enzyme of prostaglandin degradation. 15-PGDH protein strongly decreases the biologic activity of these molecules by catalyzing the oxidation of the 15-hydroxyl group of prostaglandins to a keto group. GDH1 is involved in numerous physiologic and cellular processes, for instance inflammation.

PPP1R14A is a phosphorylation-dependent inhibitor of smooth muscle myosin phosphatase. Inhibition of PPP1R14A results to increased myosin phosphorylation and enhances smooth muscle contraction in the absence of increased intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. Myosin phosphatase can reverse MYL (myosin light chain) phosphorylation to induce a state of relaxation. However, during agonist-induced contraction at constant Ca2+ concurrent inhibition of myosin phosphatase leads to increases in MYL phosphorylation and tension. These calcium-independent increases in myosin phosphorylation and tension are termed calcium sensitization.
Human pregnancy is characterized by the increases of PKN1 expression and CPI-17 phosphorylation in the myometrium. PPP1R14A is mapped to chromosome 19q13.13-q13.2.
PPP1R14A binds directly to protein kinase C and casein kinase I.
PPP1R14A siRNA decreased the level of merlin phosphorylation and consequently Ras and ERK activity in human tumor cell lines.
PKC/CPI-17 mediated pathway in histamine, triggeres cytoskeletal rearrangements causing lung microvascular barrier compromise.

IFN-tau is also known as TP-1 (trophoblast protein-1) is a new class of type I IFN that is secreted by the trophoblast and is the signal for maternal recognition of pregnancy in sheep. IFN- tau has potent immunosuppressive and antiviral activities similar to other type I IFN but is less cytotoxic than IFN-alpha and IFN-beta. The current investigation concerns the effect of recombinant ovine IFN- tau (rOIFN- tau) on the modulation of MHC class I and II expression on cloned mouse cerebrovascular endothelial (CVE) cells.
IFN-tau induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat1 and upregulated the expression of MHC class I on CVE. One proposed action by which type I IFN reduces the relapse rate in MS is via interference with IFN-?-induced MHC class II expression. IFN- tau was shown to downregulate IFN-?-induced MHC class II expression on CVE and, hence, may be of potential therapeutic value in downregulating inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS). IFN- tau did not upregulate the expression of MHC class II on CVE. IFN- tau also inhibited the replication of Theiler's virus in CVE.

Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II DR Beta 1 also known as HLA-DRB1 ia a member of the HLA class II beta chain paralogs. Molecule class II is a heterodimer consisting of an alpha (DRA) and a beta chain (DRB), both anchored in the membrane. HLA-DRB1 takes an essential part in the immune system by presenting peptides derived from extracellular proteins. Class II molecules are expressed in antigen presenting cells (APC: B lymphocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages). Furthermore, the beta chain is approximately 26- 28 kDa. It is encoded by 6 exons. While exon one encodes the leader peptide; exons 2 and 3 encode the two extracellular domains; exon 4 encodes the transmembrane domain; and exon 5 encodes the cytoplasmic tail.

HPRT1 has a main part in the generation of purine nucleotides through the purine salvage pathway. HPRT1 primarily functions to salvage purines from degraded DNA to renewed purine synthesis. Therefore, it performs as a catalyst in the reaction between guanine and phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate to form GMP.

Polymerase II Polypeptide I (POLR2I) is a member of the archaeal RpoM/eukaryotic RPA12/RPB9/RPC11 RNA polymerase family. POLR2I is a subunit of RNA polymerase II, which is a polymerase responsible for synthesizing messenger RNA in eukaryotes. DNA-dependent RNA polymerase catalyzes the transcription of DNA into RNA using the 4 ribonucleoside triphosphates as substrates. In addition POLR2I synthesizes mRNA precursors and numerous functional non-coding RNAs.

Phosphoribosylaminoimidazole Carboxylase (PAICS) is an enzyme involved in nucleotide biosynthesis and particularly in purine biosynthesis. PAICS is a bifunctional enzyme containing phosphoribosylaminoimidazole carboxylase activity at its N-terminal region and phosphoribosylaminoimidazole succinocarboxamide synthetase at its C-terminal region. PAICS catalyzes the conversion of 5'-phosphoribosyl-5-aminoimidazole(AIR) into 5'-phosphoribosyl-4-carboxy-5-aminoimidazole (CAIR) as described in the reaction. PAICS catalyzes steps six and seven of purine biosynthesis.

PPP3R1 is a Ser/Thr-specific calcium and calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase which takes a vital part in the T cell activation pathway. Calcineurin is composed of two subunits; calcineurin A (CnA) and calcineurin B (CnB). Dephosphorylation of the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NF-AT) by Calcineurin is essential for NF-AT activation, nuclear translocation, and early gene expression in T-cells.

Human Phosphoserine phosphatase (hPSP) is an important enzyme in the phosphorylated pathway of serine biosynthesis, which contributes a major portion of the endogenous L-serine. Similar to known L-3-phosphoserine phosphatases, it catalyzed the Mg2+-dependent hydrolysis of L-phosphoserine and an exchange reaction between L-serine and L-phosphoserine. Recently, its complex structures reveal that the open-closed environmental change of the active site, generated -helical bundle domain, is important to substrate by local rearrangement of the recognition and hydrolysis.