Member database | PROSITE patterns |
PROSITE patterns type | conserved site |
Short name | NGF_1 |
Description
Nerve growth factor (NGF or beta-NGF) is a vertebrate protein that stimulates
division and differentiation of sympathetic and embryonic sensory neurons [1,
2]. NGF is a protein of about 120 residues that is cleaved from a larger
precursor molecule. It contains six cysteines all involved in intrachain
disulfide bonds. A schematic representation of the structure of NGF is shown
below:
+------------------------+
| |
| ******* |
xxxxxxCxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxCxxxxCxxxxxCxxxxxxxxxxxxxCxCxxxx
| | | |
+--------------------------|-----+ |
+---------------------+
'C': conserved cysteine involved in a disulfide bond.
'*': position of the pattern.
Some proteins have been found
[1] to be structurally and functionally related
to NGF, these are:
- Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that promotes the
survival of neuronal populations all located either in the central nervous
system or directly connected to it.
- Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), a protein that seems to promote the survival of
visceral and proprioceptive sensory neurons.
- Neurotrophins-4/5 (NT-4/5), which elicit neurite outgrowth from explanted
dorsal root ganglia and could play a role in oogenesis and/or early
embryogenesis.
- Neurotrophin-6.
- Neurotrophin-7 from zebrafish.
The pattern we have developed for the NGF family spans the central region of
these proteins and include two of the six cysteines involved in disulfide
bonds.
References
1.NGF takes shape. Lo DC. Curr. Biol. 2, 67-9, (1992). View articlePMID: 15335999