FEZ-like protein
Encyclopedia
In molecular biology, the FEZ-like protein family is a family of eukaryotic protein
s thought to be involved in axonal outgrowth and fasciculation
. The N-terminal regions of these sequence
s are less conserved
than the C-terminal regions, and are highly acidic. The Caenorhabditis elegans
homologue, UNC-76, may play structural and signalling roles in the control of axonal extension and adhesion (particularly in the presence of adjacent neuronal cells) and these roles have also been postulated for other FEZ family protein
s. Certain homologues have been definitively found to interact
with the N-terminal variable region (V1) of PKC-zeta, and this interaction causes cytoplasm
ic translocation of the FEZ family protein in mammalian neuronal cell
s. The C-terminal region probably participates in the association with the regulatory domain of PKC-zeta. The members of this family are predicted to form coiled-coil
structure
s which may interact
with members of the RhoA
family of signalling proteins, but are not thought to contain other characteristic protein motifs. Certain members of this family are expressed
almost exclusively in the brain
, whereas others (such as FEZ2
) are expressed
in other tissue
s, and are thought to perform similar but unknown functions in these tissues
.
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
s thought to be involved in axonal outgrowth and fasciculation
Fasciculation
A fasciculation , or "muscle twitch", is a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction and relaxation visible under the skin arising from the spontaneous discharge of a bundle of skeletal muscle fibers...
. The N-terminal regions of these sequence
Sequence (biology)
A sequence in biology is the one-dimensional ordering of monomers, covalently linked within in a biopolymer; it is also referred to as the primary structure of the biological macromolecule.-See also:* Protein sequence* DNA sequence...
s are less conserved
Conserved sequence
In biology, conserved sequences are similar or identical sequences that occur within nucleic acid sequences , protein sequences, protein structures or polymeric carbohydrates across species or within different molecules produced by the same organism...
than the C-terminal regions, and are highly acidic. The Caenorhabditis elegans
Caenorhabditis elegans
Caenorhabditis elegans is a free-living, transparent nematode , about 1 mm in length, which lives in temperate soil environments. Research into the molecular and developmental biology of C. elegans was begun in 1974 by Sydney Brenner and it has since been used extensively as a model...
homologue, UNC-76, may play structural and signalling roles in the control of axonal extension and adhesion (particularly in the presence of adjacent neuronal cells) and these roles have also been postulated for other FEZ family protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
s. Certain homologues have been definitively found to interact
Protein-protein interaction
Protein–protein interactions occur when two or more proteins bind together, often to carry out their biological function. Many of the most important molecular processes in the cell such as DNA replication are carried out by large molecular machines that are built from a large number of protein...
with the N-terminal variable region (V1) of PKC-zeta, and this interaction causes cytoplasm
Cytoplasm
The cytoplasm is a small gel-like substance residing between the cell membrane holding all the cell's internal sub-structures , except for the nucleus. All the contents of the cells of prokaryote organisms are contained within the cytoplasm...
ic translocation of the FEZ family protein in mammalian neuronal cell
Cell
-Science and technology:*Cell , the functional basic unit of life*Cell , a term used in an electronic circuit design schematics*Cell , a three-dimensional element, part of a higher-dimensional object*Cell , a scientific journal...
s. The C-terminal region probably participates in the association with the regulatory domain of PKC-zeta. The members of this family are predicted to form coiled-coil
Coiled coil
A coiled coil is a structural motif in proteins, in which 2-7 alpha-helices are coiled together like the strands of a rope . Many coiled coil type proteins are involved in important biological functions such as the regulation of gene expression e.g. transcription factors...
structure
Secondary structure
In biochemistry and structural biology, secondary structure is the general three-dimensional form of local segments of biopolymers such as proteins and nucleic acids...
s which may interact
Protein-protein interaction
Protein–protein interactions occur when two or more proteins bind together, often to carry out their biological function. Many of the most important molecular processes in the cell such as DNA replication are carried out by large molecular machines that are built from a large number of protein...
with members of the RhoA
RHOA
Ras homolog gene family, member A is a small GTPase protein known to regulate the actin cytoskeleton in the formation of stress fibers. In humans, it is encoded by the gene RHOA....
family of signalling proteins, but are not thought to contain other characteristic protein motifs. Certain members of this family are expressed
Gene expression
Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product. These products are often proteins, but in non-protein coding genes such as ribosomal RNA , transfer RNA or small nuclear RNA genes, the product is a functional RNA...
almost exclusively in the brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
, whereas others (such as FEZ2
FEZ2
Fasciculation and elongation protein zeta-2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the FEZ2 gene.-Interactions:FEZ2 has been shown to interact with Protein kinase Mζ.-Further reading:...
) are expressed
Gene expression
Gene expression is the process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product. These products are often proteins, but in non-protein coding genes such as ribosomal RNA , transfer RNA or small nuclear RNA genes, the product is a functional RNA...
in other tissue
Tissue (biology)
Tissue is a cellular organizational level intermediate between cells and a complete organism. A tissue is an ensemble of cells, not necessarily identical, but from the same origin, that together carry out a specific function. These are called tissues because of their identical functioning...
s, and are thought to perform similar but unknown functions in these tissues
Biological tissue
Tissue is a cellular organizational level intermediate between cells and a complete organism. A tissue is an ensemble of cells, not necessarily identical, but from the same origin, that together carry out a specific function. These are called tissues because of their identical functioning...
.