DING proteins: numerous functions, elusive genes, a potential for health.

ABSTRACT: DING proteins, named after their conserved N-terminus, form an overlooked protein family whose members were generally discovered through serendipity. It is characterized by an unusually high sequence conservation, even between distantly related species, and by an outstanding diversity of activities and ligands. They all share a demonstrated capacity to bind phosphate with high affinity or at least a predicted phosphate-binding site. However, DING protein genes are conspicuously absent from databases. The many novel family members identified in recent years have confirmed that DING proteins are ubiquitous not only in animals and plants but probably also in prokaryotes. At the functional level, there is increasing evidence that they participate in many health-related processes such as cancer

SUBMITTER: Bernier F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11113660 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature