Actin-related protein nomenclature and classification.
Year: 1994
Type: article
Abstract: ECENTLY several laboratories have discovered genes or cDNAs encoding proteins that are 35-55 % identical to conventional actin isoforms. The initial discoveries, largely serendipitous, were unexpected, as for some time it had been thought that actin was a unique protein. These actin-related proteins apparently play profound roles in cells. Those discovered to date have been shown to be essential or important in yeasts (Lees-Miller et al., 1992a; Schwob and Martin, 1992; Muhua et al., 1994; Clark and Meyer, 1994; Harata et al., 1994), and one is known to copolymerize with actin in vivo (Schafer et al., 1994) to form a short, discrete microfilament. The emerging consensus is that there are only a few such proteins, and that they are highly conserved in all eukaryotes, from protozoa to yeasts to mammals. Functional studies of the actin-related proteins are proceeding rapidly. It was suspected from the time of their initial discovery that actin-relatod proteins would have distinct cellular roles, for while their similarities to actins are striking, the novel proteins are much less abundant, and in many instances have peptide insertions never found within actin isoforms. Indeed, the best characterized actin-related protein, referred to by various authors as actin-RPV, centractin, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Act5 protein, and S. cerevisiae Act3 protein (Lees-Miller et al., 1992b; Clark and
Source: The Journal of Cell Biology
Institution: Johns Hopkins University
Language: English
Subfield: Cell Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2116123858