Myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate 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, res ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''MARCKS''
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 b ...
.
It plays important roles in cell shape,
cell motility,
secretion, transmembrane transport, regulation of the
cell cycle
The cell cycle, or cell-division cycle, is the series of events that take place in a cell that cause it to divide into two daughter cells. These events include the duplication of its DNA (DNA replication) and some of its organelles, and sub ...
, and neural development. Recently, MARCKS has been implicated in the exocytosis of a number of vesicles and granules such as mucin and chromaffin.
It is also the name of a
protein family, of which MARCKS is the most studied member. They are
intrinsically disordered proteins
In molecular biology, an intrinsically disordered protein (IDP) is a protein that lacks a fixed or ordered three-dimensional structure, typically in the absence of its macromolecular interaction partners, such as other proteins or RNA. IDPs ra ...
, with an
acidic pH, with high proportions of
alanine
Alanine (symbol Ala or A), or α-alanine, is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It contains an amine group and a carboxylic acid group, both attached to the central carbon atom which also carries a methyl group side ...
,
glycine
Glycine (symbol Gly or G; ) is an amino acid that has a single hydrogen atom as its side chain. It is the simplest stable amino acid ( carbamic acid is unstable), with the chemical formula NH2‐ CH2‐ COOH. Glycine is one of the proteinog ...
,
proline, and
glutamic acid. They are
membrane
A membrane is a selective barrier; it allows some things to pass through but stops others. Such things may be molecules, ions, or other small particles. Membranes can be generally classified into synthetic membranes and biological membranes. ...
-bound through a
lipid anchor
Lipid-anchored proteins (also known as lipid-linked proteins) are proteins located on the surface of the cell membrane that are covalently attached to lipids embedded within the cell membrane. These proteins insert and assume a place in the bilay ...
at the N-terminus, and a polybasic domain in the middle. They are regulated by Ca
2+/
calmodulin and
protein kinase
A protein kinase is a kinase which selectively modifies other proteins by covalently adding phosphates to them (phosphorylation) as opposed to kinases which modify lipids, carbohydrates, or other molecules. Phosphorylation usually results in a fu ...
C. In their unphosphorylated form, they bind to
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 ov ...
filaments, causing them to crosslink, and sequester acidic membrane phospholipids such as PIP2.
The protein encoded by this gene is a substrate for protein kinase C. It is localized to the plasma membrane and is an actin filament crosslinking protein. Phosphorylation by protein kinase C or binding to calcium-calmodulin inhibits its association with actin and with the plasma membrane, leading to its presence in the cytoplasm. The protein is thought to be involved in cell motility, phagocytosis, membrane trafficking and mitogenesis.
Interactions
MARCKS 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
TOB1
Protein Tob1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''TOB1'' gene.
Function
This gene encodes a member of the tob/btg1 family of anti-proliferative proteins that have the potential to regulate cell growth. When exogenously expressed, thi ...
and with
NMT2
Glycylpeptide N-tetradecanoyltransferase 2 known also as N-myristoyltransferase, is an enzyme (EC: 2.3.1.97) that in humans is encoded by the ''NMT2'' gene.
Function
N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) catalyzes the reaction of N-terminal myristoy ...
.
References
Further reading
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