Structure of Mesothelin and Related Proteins
Author Information
Author(s): Sathyanarayana Bangalore K, Hahn Yoonsoo, Patankar Manish S, Pastan Ira, Lee Byungkook
Primary Institution: National Cancer Institute, NIH
Hypothesis
What is the three-dimensional structure of mesothelin and its homologs?
Conclusion
Mesothelin and its related proteins are predicted to have superhelical structures with ARM-type repeats, suggesting they function as lectins.
Supporting Evidence
- Mesothelin is overexpressed in several cancers, including mesothelioma and ovarian cancer.
- The predicted structure of mesothelin is based on results from multiple secondary and tertiary structure prediction programs.
- Mesothelin interacts specifically with the glycoprotein MUC16, which is important for ovarian cancer metastasis.
Takeaway
Scientists think that a protein called mesothelin and its relatives are shaped like springs and help stick to other proteins in the body.
Methodology
The study used various structure prediction programs to analyze the secondary and tertiary structures of mesothelin and its homologs.
Limitations
The exact structure of mesothelin may differ from the predicted models due to potential modifications after GPI anchoring.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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