F
IPR001058

Synuclein

InterPro entry
Short nameSynuclein
family relationships

Description

Synucleins are small, soluble proteins expressed primarily in neural tissue and in certain tumours
[7, 1]
. The family includes three known proteins: alpha-synuclein, beta-synuclein, and gamma-synuclein. All synucleins have in common a highly conserved α-helical lipid-binding motif with similarity to the class-A2 lipid-binding domains of the exchangeable apolipoproteins
[2]
.

Synuclein family members are not found outside vertebrates, although they have some conserved structural similarity with plant 'late-embryo-abundant' proteins. The alpha- and beta-synuclein proteins are found primarily in brain tissue, where they are seen mainly in presynaptic terminals
[3, 4]
. The gamma-synuclein protein is found primarily in the peripheral nervous system and retina, but its expression in breast tumors is a marker for tumor progression
[5]
. Normal cellular functions have not been determined for any of the synuclein proteins, although some data suggest a role in the regulation of membrane stability and/or turnover. Mutations in alpha-synuclein are associated with rare familial cases of early-onset Parkinson's disease, and the protein accumulates abnormally in Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and several other neurodegenerative illnesses
[6]
.

References

1.The synucleins. George JM. Genome Biol. 3, REVIEWS3002, (2002). View articlePMID: 11806835

2.Interaction of human alpha-Synuclein and Parkinson's disease variants with phospholipids. Structural analysis using site-directed mutagenesis. Perrin RJ, Woods WS, Clayton DF, George JM. J. Biol. Chem. 275, 34393-8, (2000). View articlePMID: 10952980

3.The precursor protein of non-A beta component of Alzheimer's disease amyloid is a presynaptic protein of the central nervous system. Iwai A, Masliah E, Yoshimoto M, Ge N, Flanagan L, de Silva HA, Kittel A, Saitoh T. Neuron 14, 467-75, (1995). View articlePMID: 7857654

4.Localization of phosphoneuroprotein 14 (PNP 14) and its mRNA expression in rat brain determined by immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. Nakajo S, Shioda S, Nakai Y, Nakaya K. Brain Res. Mol. Brain Res. 27, 81-6, (1994). View articlePMID: 7877458

5.Identification of a breast cancer-specific gene, BCSG1, by direct differential cDNA sequencing. Ji H, Liu YE, Jia T, Wang M, Liu J, Xiao G, Joseph BK, Rosen C, Shi YE. Cancer Res. 57, 759-64, (1997). View articlePMID: 9044857

6.Alpha-synuclein and neurodegenerative diseases. Goedert M. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 2, 492-501, (2001). View articlePMID: 11433374

7.The synuclein family. Lavedan C. Genome Res. 8, 871-80, (1998). View articlePMID: 9750188

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