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GABARAP is a ligand-gated chloride channel that mediates inhibitory neurotransmission. GABARAP is highly positively charged in its N-terminus and shares sequence similarity with light chain-3 of microtubule-associated proteins 1A and 1B. GABARAP clusters neurotransmitter receptors by mediating interaction with the cytoskeleton.

Midkine (MK) is the product of a retinoic acid responsive gene. It contains 121 amino acid residues including 10 conserved cysteine residues, all of which appear to be disulphide linked.
Midkine is expressed during embryogenesis, showing an expression pattern that suggests functions in neurogenesis, cell migration, secondary organogenetic induction, and mesoderm-epithelial interaction.
The widespread downregulation of MK in the adult human is reverted in a number of cancers, in which polypeptides are able to act as both transforming growth factors and promoters of angiogenesis.
Midkine (MK), induces chemotaxis of human neutrophils and was found to trigger mobilization of intracellular calcium of these cells.
Midkine induces histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells with a rapid response in a dose dependent manner.
Midkine is also a potent stimulator of collagen and glycosaminoglycan synthesis.

RALY belongs to the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) gene family. RALY takes part in pre-mRNA splicing and also in embryonic development. Moreover, alternate splicing results in multiple transcript variants have been found for RALY.

MAP1LC3B is a member of the MAP1 LC3 family. MAP1LC3B is a subunit of neuronal microtubule-associated MAP1A and MAP1B proteins, that are involved in microtubule assembly and important for neurogenesis. In addition, MAP1LC3B takes part in formation of autophagosomal vacuoles and is expressed mainly in heart, testis, brain and skeletal muscle.

HERPUD1 is a multi-pass membrane protein which is a part of the endoplasmic reticulum quality control system. HERPUD1 owns 1 N-terminal ubiquitin-like domain and is expressed highly in the brain. HERPUD1 is also known as ER-associated degradation (ERAD) which takes part in ubiquitin-dependent degradation of misfolded endoplasmic reticulum proteins.

Melanoma Antigen Family B,10 also known as MAGEB10 is a member of the B subfamily of the melanoma associated antigen protein family. MAGEB10 is specifically expressed in testis and tumor cells. One of the diseases associated with MAGEB10 is melanoma.

S100A1 is a member of the S100 family of calcium binding proteins with EF-hand type Ca+2 binding motive. S100A1 (Calcium Binding Protein A1) is involved in the activation of sarcoplasmatic calcium release and the regulation of intermediate filament polymerization. S100A1 may function in stimulation of Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release, inhibition of microtubule assembly, and inhibition of protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation. Reduced expression of S100A1 has been implicated in cardiomyopathies.
S100 proteins are localized either in the cytoplasm or the nucleus of a wide range of cells. There are at least 13 members in the S100 gene family, which are located as a cluster on chromosome 1q21.

B2M is a part of the MHC class I family that participates in the presentation of peptide antigens to the immune system. B2M is localized on the surface of numerous cells and abundant on the surface of white blood cells. High production or destruction of these cells causes B2M levels in the blood to raise. This increase is observed in people with cancers involving white blood cells, but it is mainly significant in people newly diagnosed with multiple myeloma. B2M Testing is done primarily when evaluating a person for certain kinds of cancer affecting white blood cells including chronic lymphocytic leukemia, non-Hodgkin''s lymphoma, and multiple myeloma or kidney disease.

Leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor 2 (LAIR2) is a secreted, 131 amino acids protein which contains one IglikeC2 type domain, rendering it a member of the Ig superfamily. Even though one is secreted and one is membrane bound, the 2 LAIR proteins are assumed to have evolved from a common gene ancestor and seem to share similar adhesion profiles, suggesting that LAIR2 may compete with LAIR1 for ligand binding. LAIR2 was discovered by its similarity to LAIR1, which is an inhibitory receptor present on mononuclear leukocytes. The LAIR2 gene maps to a region of 19q13.4, dubbed the leukocyte receptor cluster, which contains 29 genes in the immunoglobulin superfamily, including LAIR1. The function of the LAIR2 protein is unknown, though it is assumed to be secreted and may help modulate mucosal tolerance.

The protein encoded by LAMP2 belongs to a family of membrane glycoproteins. This glycoprotein provides selectins with carbohydrate ligands LAMP2 takes part in tumor cell metastasis and in addition has a role in the protection, maintenance, and adhesion of the lysosome. The effect of alternative splicing of this gene is multiple transcript variants encoding distinct proteins.

Glycophorins A & B (GYPA &GYPB) are the main sialoglycoproteins of the human erythrocyte membrane which carry the antigenic determinants for the MN and Ss blood groups. Along with the M or N and S or s antigens which normally occur in all populations, approximately 40 related variant phenotypes were identified. These variants comprise all the variants of the Miltenberger complex and some isoforms of Sta, as well as Dantu, Sat, He, Mg, and deletion variants Ena, S-s-U- and Mk. GYPA is significant for the function of SLC4A1 and is necessary for high activity of SLC4A1. GYPA is involved in translocation of SLC4A1 to the plasma membrane. GYPA is also a receptor for: the influenza virus, Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte-binding antigen 175 (EBA-175); binding of EBA-175 is dependent on sialic acid residues of the O-linked glycans and is also a receptor for Hepatitis A virus (HAV).

Adipocyte plasma membrane-associated protein, also known as APMAP, is a member of the strictosidine synthase family. APMAP exhibits strong arylesterase activity with beta-naphthyl acetate in addition to phenyl acetate and takes part in adipocyte differentiation.

MCM7 is a highly conserved mini-chromosome maintenance protein (MCM) vital for eukaryotic genome replication initiation. The MCM proteins form a hexameric protein complex which is a key component of the pre-replication complex (pre_RC) which takes part in replication forks formation and in DNA replication related proteins recruitment. The MCM complex is comprised of MCM2, 4, 6 and 7 proteins and possesses DNA helicase activity, such as DNA unwinding.

Complement Factor Properdin (CFP) which is a plasma glycoprotein, is a positive regulator of the alternative complement pathway of the innate immune system. CFP binds and stabilizes the C3- and C5-convertase enzyme complexes in a feedback loop that eventually ends with formation of the membrane attack complex and lysis of the target cell. Mutations in CFP lead to 2 forms of properdin deficiency that cause high susceptibility to meningococcal infections.

SPA17 is a protein present at the cell surface. SPA17 was characterized by its participation in the binding of sperm to the zona pellucida of the oocyte. The central portion of SPA17 has carbohydrate binding motifs and likely takes part in cell-cell adhesion functions such as immune cell migration and metastasis.

FAM3C is a member of the FAM3 family and holds a GG domain. Pancreatic cancer-derived cells demonstrate a difference in expression of this protein. FAM3C is a downstream target gene for the Nkx5-1 transcription factor, and there for takes part in cell differentiation and proliferation through inner ear embryogenesis. In addition, FAM3C has a role in retinal laminar formation and promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

Charged multivesicular body protein 6 (CHMP6) is a member of the SNF7 family. The CHMP6 protein is a core component of the endosomal sorting necessary for transport complex III (ESCRT-III) that is involved in multivesicular bodies (MVBs) formation and sorting of endosomal cargo proteins into MVBs. MVBs contain intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) which are produced by invagination and scission from the limiting membrane of the endosome and generally are transported to lysosomes facilitating degradation of membrane proteins, such as stimulated growth factor receptors, lysosomal enzymes and lipids.

GABARAPL1 [Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor-associated protein-like 1] is a member of the MAP1 LC3 family. GABARAPL1 increases cell surface expression of kappa type opioid receptor through facilitating anterograde intracellular trafficking of the receptor.

Ganglioside GM2 activator (GM2A) is a small glycolipid transport protein which functions as a substrate specific co-factor for the lysosomal enzyme beta-hexosaminidase A. GM2A participates in lipid metabolism. GM2A protein is localized in lysosomes. The GM2A protein forms a large binding pocket for a number of single chain phospholipids and fatty acids. GM2A demonstrates calcium-independent phospholipase activity. GM2A stimulates ganglioside GM2 degradation by presenting GM2 to beta-hexosaminidase A. The Beta-hexosaminidase A, along with GM2A, catalyzes the degradation of the ganglioside GM2, and other molecules containing terminal N-acetyl hexosamines. GM2A gene mutations result in GM2-gangliosidosis type AB or the AB variant of Tay-Sachs disease.

PPIases catalyze the cis-trans isomerization of proline imidic peptide bonds in oligopeptides and accelerate the folding of proteins. Cyclophilin-A is a cyclosporin binding-protein and may play a role in cyclosporin A-mediated immunosuppression. Cyclophilin-A can also interact with several HIV proteins, including p55 gag, Vpr, and capsid protein, and has been shown to be necessary for the formation of infectious HIV virions. Multiple pseudogenes that map to different chromosomes have been reported.

Osteoprotegerin acts as decoy receptor for rankl and thereby neutralizes its function in osteoclastogenesis. OPG inhibits the activation of osteoclasts and promotes osteoclast apoptosis in vitro. Bone homeostasis seems to depend on the local rankl/opg ratio. Osteoprotegerin may also play a role in preventing arterial calcification. May act as decoy receptor for trail and protect against apoptosis. Trail binding blocks the inhibition of osteoclastogenesis.

Connective Tissue Growth Factor belongs to the CCN family of proteins. The CCN family presently consists of six members in human also known as: Cyr61 (Cystein rich 61), CTGF (Connective Tissue Growth Factor), Nov (Nephroblastoma Overexpressed gene), WISP-1, 2 and 3 (Wnt-1 Induced Secreted Proteins). The CCN genes encode secreted proteins associated with the Extracellular Matrix (ECM) and cell membrane. CCN proteins are matricellular proteins which are involved in the regulation of various cellular functions including: proliferation, differentiation, survival, adhesion and migration. They are expressed in derivatives of the three embryonic sheets and are implicated in the development of kidney, nervous system, muscle, bone marrow, cartilage and bone. During adulthood, they are implicated in wound healing, bone fracture repair, and pathologies such as: fibrosis, vascular ailments and tumorigenesis.
Full length secreted CCN proteins can show an antiproliferative activity, whereas truncated isoforms are likely to stimulate proliferation and behave as oncogenes. The full length protein consists of four modulesModule I shares partial identity with the N-terminal part of the Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Proteins (IGFBPs).
Module II includes a stretch of 70amino acid residues – which shares sequence identity with the Von Willebrand Factor Type C repeat (VWC).
Module III contains sequences sharing identity with the Thrombospondin type 1 repeat (TSP1) (WSXCSXXCG), which is thought to be implicated in the binding of sulfated glycoconjugates and to be important for cell adhesion. Module IV, also designated CT, is encoded by exon5. It is the leasts conserved one of the four domains at the level of nucleotide sequence, but it appears to be critical for several of the biological functions attributed to the CCN proteins. Module IV resembles the CT domain of several extracellular protein including, Von Willebrand's factor and mucins. Sequence similarities to heparin-binding motifs are also found within this domain. Proteolysis of the secreted full-length CCN proteins that has been reported in the case of CCN2 and CCN3 might result in the production of CCN-derived peptides with high affinity for ligands that full-length CNN proteins bind only poorly. Amino-truncated CCN2 isoforms were biologically active whereas no specific biological activity has been attributed to the truncated CCN3. Although the molecular processes underlying the production of these secreted isoforms is presently unknown, it is important to note that proteolysis occur at the same amino acid residues in both CCN2 and CCN3. An elevated expression of CCN2 has also been detected by Northern blotting in human invasive mammary ductal carcinomas, dermatofibromas, pyogenic granuloma, endothelial cells of angiolipomas and angioleiomyomas, and in pancreatic tumors. A study performed with chondrosarcomas representative of various histological grades established that CCN2 expression was closely correlated with increasing levels of malignancy. In agreement with CCN2 playing a role in brain tumor angiogenesis, immunocytochemistry studies indicated that both glioblastoma tumor cells and proliferating endothelial cells stained positive for CCN2. In astrocytomas, CCN2 expression was particularly elevated in high grade tumors, with a marked effect of CCN2 on cell proliferation. Downregulation of CCN2 expression in these cells was associated with a growth arrest at the G1/S transition while over-expression of CCN2 induced a two-fold increase of the number of cells in the G1 phase. Gene profiling analysis allowed to identify a set of about 50 genes whose expression might account for the proliferative activity of CCN2 in these cells.
CCN2 was seen in a higher proportion of mononuclear cells of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

EPCAM is a carcinoma-associated antigen and belongs to a family which includes at least 2 type I membrane proteins. The EPCAM protein has a role in embryonic stem cells proliferation and differentiation. EPCAM is used as a target for immunotherapy treatment of human carcinomas. EPCAM is expressed on most normal epithelial cells and gastrointestinal carcinomas and acts as a homotypic calcium-independent cell adhesion molecule. Epithelial cell adhesion molecules (EPCAM) can act as a physical homophilic interaction molecule between intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) at the mucosal epithelium for supplying immunological barrier as a first line of defense against mucosal infection. EPCAM gene mutations result in congenital tufting enteropathy.

The bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptors are a family of transmembrane serine/threonine kinases that include the type I receptors BMPR1A and BMPR1B and the type II receptor BMPR2. These receptors are also closely related to the activin receptors, ACVR1 and ACVR2. The ligands of these receptors are members of the TGF-beta superfamily. TGF-betas and activins transduce their signals through the formation of heteromeric complexes with 2 different types of serine (threonine) kinase receptors: type I receptors of about 50-55 kD and type II receptors of about 70-80 kD. Type II receptors bind ligands in the absence of type I receptors, but they require their respective type I receptors for signaling, whereas type I receptors require their respective type II receptors for ligand binding.