Melanoma-associated antigen D2 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 ''MAGED2''

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 ...

. This gene is a member of the MAGED gene family. While the MAGEA and MAGEB genes are silent in normal tissues with the exception of

testis A testicle or testis (plural testes) is the male reproductive gland or gonad in all bilaterians, including humans. It is homologous to the female ovary. The functions of the testes are to produce both sperm and androgens, primarily testostero ...

and

placenta The placenta is a temporary embryonic and later fetal organ that begins developing from the blastocyst shortly after implantation. It plays critical roles in facilitating nutrient, gas and waste exchange between the physically separate mater ...

, the MAGED genes are expressed ubiquitously. The MAGED genes are clustered on chromosome Xp11. This gene is located in Xp11.2, a hot spot for X-linked mental retardation (XLMR). Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants have been found for this gene, however, the full length nature of some variants has not been defined.

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