Protein KIBRA also known as kidney and brain expressed protein (KIBRA) or WW domain-containing protein 1 (WWC1) is a
protein
Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residue (biochemistry), residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including Enzyme catalysis, catalysing metab ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''WWC1''
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 ...
.
Research on human memory
A single nucleotide
polymorphism (rs17070145) in the gene has been associated with
human memory performance and cognitive ability in various studies since 2006. While no significant support for KIBRA's association with memory was found in a 2008 study with 584 subjects,
the original 2006 study was replicated in a smaller sample of an elderly population in 2008.
Two subsequent studies in 2009 in indicated that ''KIBRA'' is specifically associated with forgetting of non-semantic material as well as cognitive flexibility among smokers and non-smokers.
KIBRA SNPs have been shown to increase hippocampal volume and affect spatial ability and scientific achievement.
Studies have also begun to investigate the role of KIBRA in
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease and the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As the disease advances, symptoms can include problems wit ...
.
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Interactions
''KIBRA'' has at least 10 interaction partners, including
synaptopodin,
PKCζ and
Dendrin, most of which modify synaptic plasticity.
For instance, Dendrin is a post-synaptic protein with expression regulated by sleep deprivation.
''KIBRA'' has been shown to
interact with
Protein kinase Mζ
Protein kinase C, zeta (PKCζ), also known as PRKCZ, is a protein in humans that is encoded by the ''PRKCZ'' gene. The PRKCZ gene encodes at least two alternative transcripts, the full-length PKCζ and an N-terminal truncated form PKMζ. PKMζ ...
.
References
Further reading
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External links
Division of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Basel, Switzerland
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