NEDD4-like E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase WWP2 also known as atrophin-1-interacting protein 2 (AIP2) or WW domain-containing protein 2 (WWP2) is an

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''WWP2''

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 ...

Function

This gene encodes a member of the NEDD4-like protein family. The family of proteins is known to possess ubiquitin-protein ligase activity. The encoded protein contains 4 tandem

WW domain The WW domain, (also known as the rsp5-domain or WWP repeating motif) is a modular protein domain that mediates specific interactions with protein ligands. This domain is found in a number of unrelated signaling and structural proteins and may be ...

s. The WW domain is a protein motif consisting of 35 to 40 amino acids and is characterized by 4 conserved aromatic residues. The WW domain may mediate specific protein–protein interactions. Three alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been found for this gene. In neurons, murine ortholog Wwp2 and its homolog Wwp1 control polarity acquisition, formation, and branching of axons, as well as migration of newly born nerve cells into the cortical plate.

Interactions

WWP2 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

SCNN1B The SCNN1B gene encodes for the β subunit of the epithelial sodium channel ENaC in vertebrates. ENaC is assembled as a heterotrimer composed of three homologous subunits α, β, and γ or δ, β, and γ. The other ENAC subunits are encoded by SCN ...

and

ATN1 Atrophin-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ATN1 gene. The encoded protein includes a serine repeat and a region of alternating acidic and basic amino acids, as well as the variable glutamine repeat. The function of Atrophin-1 has not ...

Clinical significance

Full-length WWP2 (WWP2-FL), together with

N-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 ...

, (WWP2-N);

C-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 ...

(WWP2-C) isoforms bind to SMAD proteins. WWP2-FL interacts with

SMAD2 Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 2 also known as SMAD family member 2 or SMAD2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''SMAD2'' gene. MAD homolog 2 belongs to the SMAD, a family of proteins similar to the gene products of the ''Dros ...

SMAD3 Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 also known as SMAD family member 3 or SMAD3 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SMAD3 gene. SMAD3 is a member of the SMAD family of proteins. It acts as a mediator of the signals initiated by t ...

and

SMAD7 Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 7 or SMAD7 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''SMAD7'' gene. SMAD7 is a protein that, as its name describes, is a homolog of the Drosophila gene: "Mothers against decapentaplegic". It belongs to ...

in the TGF-β pathway. The WWP2-N isoform interacts with SMAD2 and SMAD3, whereas WWP2-C interacts only with SMAD7. Disruption of interactions between WWP2 and SMAD7 can stabilize SMAD7 protein levels and prevent TGF-β induced Epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Hence inhibiting WWP2 may in turn lead to the disabling of an inhibitor that normally controls cell growth and

tumorogenesis Carcinogenesis, also called oncogenesis or tumorigenesis, is the formation of a cancer, whereby normal cells are transformed into cancer cells. The process is characterized by changes at the cellular, genetic, and epigenetic levels and abnorm ...

. In tissue cultures lacking the inhibitor

, cancer cells spread rapidly, so that silencing WWP2 prevented the spread. *

Function

Interactions

Clinical significance

References

Further reading