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Epsin
Epsins are a family of highly conserved membrane proteins that are important in creating membrane curvature. Epsins contribute to membrane deformations like endocytosis, and block vesicle formation during mitosis. Structure Epsin contains various protein domains that aid in function. Starting at the N-terminus is the ENTH domain. ENTH stands for Epsin N-Terminal Homolog. The ENTH domain is approximately 150 amino acids long and is highly conserved across species. It is composed of seven α-helices and an eighth helix that is not aligned with the seven helices that make up a superhelical fold. The role of the ENTH domain is to bind membrane lipids which is currently thought to aid in the invagination of the plasma membrane to form clathrin-coated vesicles. Additionally, located toward the C-terminus of the ENTH domain are two to three ubiquitin interacting motifs which aids in ubiquitin dependent recruitment. Following the ENTH domain there is not as much conservation in structu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
CLINT1
Clathrin interactor 1 (CLINT1), also known as EPSIN4, is a protein which in humans is encoded by the ''CLINT1'' gene. Function The CLINT1 protein binds to the terminal domain of the clathrin heavy chain and stimulates clathrin cage vesicle assembly. Clathrin coated vesicles enable neurotransmitter receptors and other proteins to be endocytosed or taken up across neuronal membranes and across the membranes of other types of cells. This enables a turnover of neuroreceptors or other proteins to be maintained and thus the numbers of receptors can be fine tuned. Clinical significance The ''CLINT1'' gene has been shown to be involved in the genetic aetiology of schizophrenia in four studies It is known that the antipsychotic drugs chlorpromazine and clozapine stabilise clathrin coated vesicles and this may be one reason why antipsychotic drugs are effective in treating delusions, auditory hallucinations and many of the other symptoms of schizophrenia. Interactions CLINT1 has be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
EPN1
Epsin-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''EPN1'' gene. EPN1 is an endocytic accessory protein that interacts with EPS15 (MIM 600051), the alpha subunit of the clathrin adaptor AP2 (AP2A1; MIM 601026), and clathrin (see MIM 118960), as well as with other accessory proteins for the endocytosis of clathrin-coated vesicles. upplied by OMIMref name="entrez" /> Interactions EPN1 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 REPS2, AP2A2 and EPS15. References Further reading * * * * * * * * * * * * {{gene-19-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clathrin
Clathrin is a protein that plays a major role in the formation of coated vesicles. Clathrin was first isolated and named by Barbara Pearse in 1976. It forms a triskelion shape composed of three clathrin heavy chains and three light chains. When the triskelia interact they form a polyhedral lattice that surrounds the vesicle, hence the protein's name, which is derived from the Latin ''clathrum'' meaning lattice. Coat-proteins, like clathrin, are used to build small vesicles in order to transport molecules within cells. The endocytosis and exocytosis of vesicles allows cells to communicate, to transfer nutrients, to import signaling receptors, to mediate an immune response after sampling the extracellular world, and to clean up the cell debris left by tissue inflammation. The endocytic pathway can be hijacked by viruses and other pathogens in order to gain entry to the cell during infection. Structure The clathrin triskelion is composed of three clathrin heavy chains intera ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Membrane Curvature
Membrane curvature is the geometrical measure or characterization of the curvature of membranes. The membranes can be naturally occurring or man-made (synthetic). An example of naturally occurring membrane is the lipid bilayer of cells, also known as cellular membranes. Synthetic membranes can be obtained by preparing aqueous solutions of certain lipids. The lipids will then "aggregate" and form various phases and structures. According to the conditions (concentration, temperature, ionic strength of solution, etc.) and the chemical structures of the lipid, different phases will be observed. For instance, the lipid POPC (palmitoyl oleyl phosphatidyl choline) tends to form lamellar vesicles in solution, whereas smaller lipids (lipids with shorter acyl chains, up to 8 carbons in length), such as detergents, will form micelles if the CMC (critical micelle concentration) was reached. There are five commonly proposed mechanisms by which membrane curvature is created, maintained, or contro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ENTH Domain
The epsin N-terminal homology (ENTH) domain is a structural domain that is found in proteins involved in endocytosis and cytoskeletal machinery. Structure This domain is approximately 150 amino acids in length and is always found located at the N-termini of proteins. The domain forms a compact globular structure, composed of nine alpha-helices connected by loops of varying length. The general topology is determined by three helical hairpins that are stacked consecutively with a right hand twist. An N-terminal helix folds back, forming a deep basic groove that forms the binding pocket for the Ins(1,4,5)P3 ligand. The lipid ligand is coordinated by residues from surrounding alpha-helices and all three phosphates are multiply coordinated. Interactions with the lipid bilayer Proteins containing this domain have been found to bind PtdIns(4,5)P2 and Ins(1,4,5)P3 suggesting that the domain is a membrane-interacting module. The main function of proteins containing this domain appears ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
AP2 Adaptors
The AP2 adaptor complex is a multimeric protein that works on the cell membrane to internalize cargo in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. It is a stable complex of four adaptins which give rise to a structure that has a core domain and two appendage domains attached to the core domain by polypeptide linkers. These appendage domains are sometimes called 'ears'. The core domain binds to the membrane and to cargo destined for internalisation. The alpha and beta appendage domains bind to accessory proteins and to clathrin. Their interactions allow the temporal and spatial regulation of the assembly of clathrin-coated vesicles and their endocytosis. The AP-2 complex is a heterotetramer consisting of two large adaptins (α and β), a medium adaptin (μ), and a small adaptin (σ): * complex 2 ** AP2A1 (α unit 1) ** AP2A2 (α unit 2) ** AP2B1 (β unit) ** AP2M1 (μ unit) ** AP2S1 (σ unit) Structure The AP2 adaptor complex exists in two primary conformations: the open conformation (act ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
EPN2
Epsin-2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''EPN2'' gene. This gene encodes a protein which interacts with clathrin and adaptor-related protein complex 2, alpha 1 subunit. The protein is found in a brain-derived clathrin-coated vesicle fraction and localizes to the peri-Golgi region and the cell periphery. The protein is thought to be involved in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Alternate splicing of this gene results in two transcript variants encoding 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 iso .... References Further reading * * * * * * * * * * * * {{gene-17-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Embryonic Death
Embryo loss (also known as embryo death or embryo resorption) is the death of an embryo at any stage of its development which in humans, is between the second through eighth week after fertilization. Failed development of an embryo often results in the disintegration and assimilation of its tissue in the uterus. Loss during the stages of prenatal development after organogenesis of the fetus results in the similar process of fetal resorption. Embryo loss often happens without an awareness of pregnancy Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring develops ( gestates) inside a woman's uterus (womb). A multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins. Pregnancy usually occurs by sexual intercourse, but ..., and an estimated 40 to 60% of all embryos do not survive. Fertility clinics Within fertility clinics embryo loss is associated with a high number of implanted embryos. The keeping of embryos in tanks can also increase risks of loss ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dishevelled
Dishevelled (Dsh) is a family of proteins involved in canonical and non-canonical Wnt signalling pathways. Dsh (Dvl in mammals) is a cytoplasmic phosphoprotein that acts directly downstream of frizzled receptors. It takes its name from its initial discovery in flies, where a mutation in the dishevelled gene was observed to cause improper orientation of body and wing hairs. There are vertebrate homologs in zebrafish, ''Xenopus'' (''Xdsh''), mice (''Dvl1, -2, -3'') and humans (''DVL-1, -2, -3''). Dsh relays complex Wnt signals in tissues and cells, in normal and abnormal contexts. It is thought to interact with the SPATS1 protein when regulating the Wnt Signalling pathway. Dishevelled plays important roles in both the embryo and the adult, ranging from cellular differentiation and cell polarity to social behavior. Members There are three human genes that encode for the dishevelled proteins: * DVL1 * DVL2 * DVL3 Function DVL is an integral part of the Wnt canonical pathwa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Wnt Signaling Pathway
The Wnt signaling pathways are a group of signal transduction pathways which begin with proteins that pass signals into a cell through cell surface receptors. The name Wnt is a portmanteau created from the names Wingless and Int-1. Wnt signaling pathways use either nearby cell-cell communication (paracrine) or same-cell communication (autocrine). They are highly evolutionarily conserved in animals, which means they are similar across animal species from fruit flies to humans. Three Wnt signaling pathways have been characterized: the canonical Wnt pathway, the noncanonical planar cell polarity pathway, and the noncanonical Wnt/calcium pathway. All three pathways are activated by the binding of a Wnt-protein ligand to a Frizzled family receptor, which passes the biological signal to the Dishevelled protein inside the cell. The canonical Wnt pathway leads to regulation of gene transcription, and is thought to be negatively regulated in part by the SPATS1 gene. The noncanonical p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arabidopsis Thaliana
''Arabidopsis thaliana'', the thale cress, mouse-ear cress or arabidopsis, is a small flowering plant native to Eurasia and Africa. ''A. thaliana'' is considered a weed; it is found along the shoulders of roads and in disturbed land. A winter annual with a relatively short lifecycle, ''A. thaliana'' is a popular model organism in plant biology and genetics. For a complex multicellular eukaryote, ''A. thaliana'' has a relatively small genome around 135 megabase pairs. It was the first plant to have its genome sequenced, and is a popular tool for understanding the molecular biology of many plant traits, including flower development and light sensing. Description ''Arabidopsis thaliana'' is an annual (rarely biennial) plant, usually growing to 20–25 cm tall. The leaves form a rosette at the base of the plant, with a few leaves also on the flowering stem. The basal leaves are green to slightly purplish in color, 1.5–5 cm long, and 2–10 mm broad, with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Drosophila Melanogaster
''Drosophila melanogaster'' is a species of fly (the taxonomic order Diptera) in the family Drosophilidae. The species is often referred to as the fruit fly or lesser fruit fly, or less commonly the " vinegar fly" or "pomace fly". Starting with Charles W. Woodworth's 1901 proposal of the use of this species as a model organism, ''D. melanogaster'' continues to be widely used for biological research in genetics, physiology, microbial pathogenesis, and life history evolution. As of 2017, five Nobel Prizes have been awarded to drosophilists for their work using the insect. ''D. melanogaster'' is typically used in research owing to its rapid life cycle, relatively simple genetics with only four pairs of chromosomes, and large number of offspring per generation. It was originally an African species, with all non-African lineages having a common origin. Its geographic range includes all continents, including islands. ''D. melanogaster'' is a common pest in homes, restaurants, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
