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Motile Sperm Domain Containing 2
Motile sperm domain containing 2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the MOSPD2 gene. It is an endoplasmic reticulum–resident protein involved in membrane contact site formation. Its domain homologous to Major Sperm Protein (MSP domain) is very similar to VAPA/VAPB Vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B/C is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''VAPB'' gene. The VAPB gene is found on the 20th human chromosome. Together with VAPA, it forms the VAP protein family. Function The ..., so it has been described as the third human member of the VAP protein family. References Further reading * External links PDBe-KB provides an overview of all the structure information available in the PDB for Mouse Motile sperm domain-containing protein 2 {{gene-X-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, responding to stimuli, providing structure to cells and organisms, and transporting molecules from one location to another. Proteins differ from one another primarily in their sequence of amino acids, which is dictated by the nucleotide sequence of their genes, and which usually results in protein folding into a specific 3D structure that determines its activity. A linear chain of amino acid residues is called a polypeptide. A protein contains at least one long polypeptide. Short polypeptides, containing less than 20–30 residues, are rarely considered to be proteins and are commonly called peptides. The individual amino acid residues are bonded together by peptide bonds and adjacent amino acid residues. The sequence of amino acid residue ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity and the molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protein-coding genes and noncoding genes. During gene expression, the DNA is first copied into RNA. The RNA can be directly functional or be the intermediate template for a protein that performs a function. The transmission of genes to an organism's offspring is the basis of the inheritance of phenotypic traits. These genes make up different DNA sequences called genotypes. Genotypes along with environmental and developmental factors determine what the phenotypes will be. Most biological traits are under the influence of polygenes (many different genes) as well as gen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Endoplasmic Reticulum
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is, in essence, the transportation system of the eukaryotic cell, and has many other important functions such as protein folding. It is a type of organelle made up of two subunits – rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER), and smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER). The endoplasmic reticulum is found in most eukaryotic cells and forms an interconnected network of flattened, membrane-enclosed sacs known as cisternae (in the RER), and tubular structures in the SER. The membranes of the ER are continuous with the outer nuclear membrane. The endoplasmic reticulum is not found in red blood cells, or spermatozoa. The two types of ER share many of the same proteins and engage in certain common activities such as the synthesis of certain lipids and cholesterol. Different types of cells contain different ratios of the two types of ER depending on the activities of the cell. RER is found mainly toward the nucleus of cell and SER towards the cell membrane or plasma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Membrane Contact Site
Membrane contact sites (MCS) are close appositions between two organelles. Ultrastructural studies typically reveal an intermembrane distance in the order of the size of a single protein, as small as 10 nm or wider, with no clear upper limit. These zones of apposition are highly conserved in evolution. These sites are thought to be important to facilitate signalling, and they promote the passage of small molecules, including ions, lipids and (discovered later) reactive oxygen species. MCS are important in the function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), since this is the major site of lipid synthesis within cells. The ER makes close contact with many organelles, including mitochondria, Golgi, endosomes, lysosomes, peroxisomes, chloroplasts and the plasma membrane. Both mitochondria and sorting endosomes undergo major rearrangements leading to fission where they contact the ER. Sites of close apposition can also form between most of these organelles most pairwise combinations. Fi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Major Sperm Protein
Major sperm protein (MSP) is a nematode specific small protein of 126 amino acids with a molecular weight of 14 kDa. It is the key player in the motility machinery of nematodes that propels the crawling movement/motility of nematode sperm. It is the most abundant protein present in nematode sperm, comprising 15% of the total protein and more than 40% of the soluble protein. MSP is exclusively synthesized in spermatocytes of the nematodes. The MSP has two main functions in the reproduction of the helminthes: i) as cytosolic component it is responsible for the crawling movement of the mature sperm (without flagellum), and ii) once released, it acts as hormone on the female germ cells, where it triggers oocyte maturation and stimulates the oviduct wall to contract to bring the oocytes into position for fertilization. MSP has first been identified in ''Caenorhabditis elegans''. Structure Molecular structures of MSP from ''Ascaris suum'' and ''Caenorhabditis elegans'' have been ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
VAPA
VAMP-Associated Protein A ( or Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein-Associated Protein A) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''VAPA'' gene. Together with VAPB and VAPC it forms the VAP protein family. They are integral endoplasmic reticulum membrane proteins of the type II and are ubiquitous among eukaryotes. VAPA is ubiquitously expressed in human tissues and is thought to be involved in membrane trafficking by interaction with SNAREs, in regulation of lipid transport and metabolism, and in the Unfolded Protein Response ( UPR). Protein structure The protein is divided in three different domains. First, an N-terminal beta-sheet with an immunoglobulin-like fold that shares homology with the Nematode major sperm protein ( MSP). Secondly, a central coiled-coil domain. Then finally a C-terminal transmembrane domain (TMD) which is usually present in proteins of the t-SNARE superfamily and has been found in other proteins associated with vesicular transport. VAPA can form ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
VAPB
Vesicle-associated membrane protein-associated protein B/C is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''VAPB'' gene. The VAPB gene is found on the 20th human chromosome. Together with VAPA, it forms the VAP protein family. Function The protein encoded by this gene is a type IV membrane protein found in plasma and intracellular vesicle membranes. The encoded protein is found as a homodimer and as a heterodimer with VAPA. This protein also can interact with VAMP1 and VAMP2 and may be involved in vesicle trafficking. Like VAPA, VAPB binds to proteins that contain a FFAT motif. Considerable interest in VAPB has arisen because mutations in this protein are associated with rare, familial forms of motor neuron disease (also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Lou Gehrig's disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that results in the progressive loss of motor neur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
