The activin A receptor also known as ACVR1C or ALK-7 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ACVR1C

gene In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...

. ACVR1C is a type I receptor for the

TGFB Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a multifunctional cytokine belonging to the transforming growth factor superfamily that includes three different mammalian isoforms (TGF-β 1 to 3, HGNC symbols TGFB1, TGFB2, TGFB3) and many other signa ...

family of signaling molecules. ACVR1C transduces signals of

Nodal Nodal may refer to: * Nodal, the adjectival form of the noun :wikt:node * Nodal homolog, a protein encoded by the gene NODAL and responsible for left-right asymmetry * Nodal (software), a novel music composition program * Christian Nodal ( ...

binds to

ACVR2B Activin receptor type-2B is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''ACVR2B'' gene. ACVR2B is an activin type 2 receptor. Function Activins are dimeric growth and differentiation factors which belong to the transforming growth factor-bet ...

and then forms a complex with ACVR1C. These go on to recruit the

R-SMAD R-SMADs are receptor-regulated SMADs. SMADs are transcription factors that transduce extracellular TGF-β superfamily ligand signaling from cell membrane bound TGF-β receptors into the nucleus where they activate transcription TGF-β target ge ...

SMAD2 Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 2, also known as SMAD family member 2 or SMAD2, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''SMAD2'' gene. MAD homolog 2 belongs to the SMAD, a family of proteins similar to the gene products of the ''Dr ...

SMAD3 Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3 also known as SMAD family member 3 or SMAD3 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SMAD3 gene. SMAD3 is a member of the SMAD (protein), SMAD family of proteins. It acts as a mediator of the signal ...

. Upon ligand binding, type I receptors

phosphorylate In biochemistry, phosphorylation is described as the "transfer of a phosphate group" from a donor to an acceptor. A common phosphorylating agent (phosphate donor) is ATP and a common family of acceptor are alcohols: : This equation can be writt ...

cytoplasmic SMAD family

transcription factor In molecular biology, a transcription factor (TF) (or sequence-specific DNA-binding factor) is a protein that controls the rate of transcription (genetics), transcription of genetics, genetic information from DNA to messenger RNA, by binding t ...

s, which then translocate to the nucleus and interact directly with DNA or in complex with other transcription factors.

References

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Further reading