Ankyrin 1, also known as ANK-1, and erythrocyte ankyrin, is a

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, respo ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''ANK1''

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 ba ...

Tissue distribution

The

encoded by this gene, Ankyrin 1, is the prototype of the

ankyrin Ankyrins are a family of proteins that mediate the attachment of integral membrane proteins to the spectrin-actin based membrane cytoskeleton. Ankyrins have binding sites for the beta subunit of spectrin and at least 12 families of integral mem ...

family, was first discovered in

erythrocyte Red blood cells (RBCs), also referred to as red cells, red blood corpuscles (in humans or other animals not having nucleus in red blood cells), haematids, erythroid cells or erythrocytes (from Greek ''erythros'' for "red" and ''kytos'' for "holl ...

s, but since has also been found in brain and muscles.

Genetics

Complex patterns of alternative splicing in the regulatory domain, giving rise to different

isoforms A protein isoform, or "protein variant", is a member of a set of highly similar proteins that originate from a single gene or gene family and are the result of genetic differences. While many perform the same or similar biological roles, some isof ...

of ankyrin 1 have been described, however, the precise functions of the various isoforms are not known. Alternative

polyadenylation Polyadenylation is the addition of a poly(A) tail to an RNA transcript, typically a messenger RNA (mRNA). The poly(A) tail consists of multiple adenosine monophosphates; in other words, it is a stretch of RNA that has only adenine bases. In euk ...

accounting for the different sized erythrocytic ankyrin 1 mRNAs, has also been reported. Truncated muscle-specific isoforms of ankyrin 1 resulting from usage of an alternate promoter have also been identified.

Disease linkage

Mutations in erythrocytic ankyrin 1 have been associated in approximately half of all patients with hereditary

spherocytosis Spherocytosis is the presence of spherocytes in the blood, i.e. erythrocytes (red blood cells) that are sphere-shaped rather than bi-concave disk shaped as normal. Spherocytes are found in all hemolytic anemias to some degree. Hereditary spherocy ...

. ANK1 shows altered methylation and expression in Alzheimer's disease. A gene expression study of postmortem brains has suggested ANK1 interacts with

interferon-γ Interferon gamma (IFN-γ) is a dimerized soluble cytokine that is the only member of the type II class of interferons. The existence of this interferon, which early in its history was known as immune interferon, was described by E. F. Wheelock ...

signalling.

Function

The ANK1 protein belongs to the

family that are believed to link the integral

membrane protein Membrane proteins are common proteins that are part of, or interact with, biological membranes. Membrane proteins fall into several broad categories depending on their location. Integral membrane proteins are a permanent part of a cell membrane ...

s to the underlying

spectrin Spectrin is a cytoskeletal protein that lines the intracellular side of the plasma membrane in eukaryotic cells. Spectrin forms pentagonal or hexagonal arrangements, forming a scaffold and playing an important role in maintenance of plasma membr ...

actin Actin is a family of globular multi-functional proteins that form microfilaments in the cytoskeleton, and the thin filaments in muscle fibrils. It is found in essentially all eukaryotic cells, where it may be present at a concentration of over ...

cytoskeleton The cytoskeleton is a complex, dynamic network of interlinking protein filaments present in the cytoplasm of all cells, including those of bacteria and archaea. In eukaryotes, it extends from the cell nucleus to the cell membrane and is compos ...

and play key roles in activities such as cell motility, activation, proliferation, contact, and maintenance of specialized membrane domains. Multiple isoforms of ankyrin with different affinities for various target proteins are expressed in a tissue-specific, developmentally regulated manner. Most ankyrins are typically composed of three structural domains: an

amino-terminal The N-terminus (also known as the amino-terminus, NH2-terminus, N-terminal end or amine-terminus) is the start of a protein or polypeptide, referring to the free amine group (-NH2) located at the end of a polypeptide. Within a peptide, the ami ...

domain containing multiple ankyrin repeats; a central region with a highly conserved spectrin-binding domain; and a

carboxy-terminal The C-terminus (also known as the carboxyl-terminus, carboxy-terminus, C-terminal tail, C-terminal end, or COOH-terminus) is the end of an amino acid chain (protein or polypeptide), terminated by a free carboxyl group (-COOH). When the protein is ...

regulatory domain, which is the least conserved and subject to variation. The small ANK1 (sAnk1) protein splice variants makes contacts with

obscurin Obscurin is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''OBSCN'' gene. Obscurin belongs to the family of giant sarcomeric signaling proteins that includes titin and nebulin. Obscurin is expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscle, and plays a role in ...

, a giant protein surrounding the contractile apparatus in

striated muscle Striations means a series of ridges, furrows or linear marks, and is used in several ways: * Glacial striation * Striation (fatigue), in material * Striation (geology), a ''striation'' as a result of a geological fault * Striation Valley, in Ant ...

Interactions

ANK1 has been shown to

interact Advocates for Informed Choice, dba interACT or interACT Advocates for Intersex Youth, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization using innovative strategies to advocate for the legal and human rights of children with intersex traits. The organizati ...

with

T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis-inducing protein 1 T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis-inducing protein 1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''TIAM1'' gene. Structure TIAM1 is tightly associate with BAIAP2 as a subunit. It contains one DH (DBL-homology) domain, one PDZ domain, ...

Titin Titin (contraction for Titan protein) (also called connectin) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''TTN'' gene. Titin is a giant protein, greater than 1 µm in length, that functions as a molecular spring that is responsible for t ...

RHAG Rh-associated glycoprotein (RHAG) is an ammonia transporter protein that in humans is encoded by the ''RHAG'' gene. RHAG has also recently been designated CD241 (cluster of differentiation 241). Mutations in the RHAG gene can cause stomatocytosi ...

and

OBSCN Obscurin is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''OBSCN'' gene. Obscurin belongs to the family of giant sarcomeric signaling proteins that includes titin and nebulin. Obscurin is expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscle, and plays a role in ...

References

External links

* * {{Cytoskeletal proteins Proteins