R-SMADs are receptor-regulated SMADs. SMADs are

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

s 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 genes. R-SMADS are directly phosphorylated on their c-terminus by type 1 TGF-β receptors through their intracellular kinase domain, leading to r-SMAD activation. R-SMADS include SMAD2 and SMAD3 from the TGF-β/Activin/Nodal branch, and SMAD1,

SMAD5 Mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 5 also known as SMAD5 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''SMAD5'' gene. SMAD5, as its name describes, is a homolog of the Drosophila gene: " Mothers against decapentaplegic", based on a traditi ...

and SMAD8 from the BMP/GDP branch of TGF-β signaling. In response to signals by the

TGF-β 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 s ...

superfamily of

ligand In coordination chemistry, a ligand is an ion or molecule (functional group) that binds to a central metal atom to form a coordination complex. The bonding with the metal generally involves formal donation of one or more of the ligand's elect ...

s these proteins associate with receptor

kinase In biochemistry, a kinase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the transfer of phosphate groups from high-energy, phosphate-donating molecules to specific substrates. This process is known as phosphorylation, where the high-energy ATP molecule don ...

s and are phosphorylated at an SSXS motif at their extreme C-terminus. These proteins then typically bind to the common mediator Smad or co-SMAD SMAD4. Smad complexes then accumulate in the

cell nucleus The cell nucleus (pl. nuclei; from Latin or , meaning ''kernel'' or ''seed'') is a membrane-bound organelle found in eukaryotic cells. Eukaryotic cells usually have a single nucleus, but a few cell types, such as mammalian red blood cells, h ...

where they regulate transcription of specific target genes: * SMAD2 and SMAD3 are activated in response to

Activin Activin and inhibin are two closely related protein complexes that have almost directly opposite biological effects. Identified in 1986, activin enhances FSH biosynthesis and secretion, and participates in the regulation of the menstrual ...

or Nodal signals. * SMAD1, SMAD5 and SMAD8 (also known as SMAD9) are activated in response to BMPs

bone morphogenetic protein Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are a group of growth factors also known as cytokines and as metabologens. Originally discovered by their ability to induce the formation of bone and cartilage, BMPs are now considered to constitute a group of ...

or GDP signals. SMAD6 and SMAD7 may be referred to as I-SMADs (inhibitory SMADS), which form trimers with R-SMADS and block their ability to induce gene transcription by competing with R-SMADs for receptor binding and by marking TGF-β receptors for degradation.

References

External links

* Developmental genes and proteins SMAD (protein) {{molecular-cell-biology-stub

See also

References

Further reading

External links