Functional Analysis Of A Transmembrane Protein-NECL2 Expressed In Neurosystem

In nervous system, interactions between cytoskeleton proteins and membrane proteins are essential for structure integrity and functional maintenance. Members of protein 4.1 family and membrane-associated guanylate kinase family can connect membrane proteins (cell adhesion molecular, receptors and ion channels) with cytoplasmic proteins (cytoskeleton proteins, signal transduction molecular and transcription factors). This kind of membrane-cytoskeleton complex probably plays important role in neurosystem development, neuron differentiation , normal physiological process of neurosystem and some pathological change.This interaction happens between cytoplasmic region of membrane protein and special domain of cytoskeleton protein,such as SH3,SH2,4.1/JEF,PDZ domain and so on. Several members of protein 4.1 family have been identified. Protein 4.1R is predominantly expressed in hematocytes.and interacts with RBC membrane protein glycophorin C. Protein 4.1N and 4.1B is predominantly expressed in brain. But their membrane interaction proteins remain unknown.For finding proteins which are candidate membrane interaction protein for the members of protein 4.1 family, we searched the EST database with the cytoplasmic region of glycophorin C. Some ESTs were found and used as probe to screen the cDNA libraries. Two cDNAs were obtained and expression and functional analysis of the cDNAs were performed—NECL1 and NECL2. NECL1 is predominantly expressed in brain,while...