Kinesin family member 4A 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 ''KIF4A''
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 ...
.
Function
Kinesins, such as KIF4A, are
microtubule
Microtubules are polymers of tubulin that form part of the cytoskeleton and provide structure and shape to eukaryotic cells. Microtubules can be as long as 50 micrometres, as wide as 23 to 27 nanometer, nm and have an inner diameter bet ...
-based motor proteins that generate directional movement along microtubules. They are involved in many crucial cellular processes, including cell division.
Interactions
KIF4A has been shown to
interact with
HMG20B and
DNMT3B.
Clinical significance
NTCP is the entry receptor for both
Hepatitis B (
HBV) and
Hepatitis D viruses (
HDV). KIF4 was found to play an essential role in
HBV and
HDV infection through its regulation of the retrograde transport of
NTCP from the
cytoplasm
The cytoplasm describes all the material within a eukaryotic or prokaryotic cell, enclosed by the cell membrane, including the organelles and excluding the nucleus in eukaryotic cells. The material inside the nucleus of a eukaryotic cell a ...
to the
cell surface where it acts as a receptor for
HBV/
HDV infection.
References
Further reading
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External links
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{{Cytoskeletal proteins
Human proteins
Motor proteins