WDTC1 ("Adipose") is a gene associated with
obesity
Obesity is a medical condition, considered by multiple organizations to be a disease, in which excess Adipose tissue, body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it can potentially have negative effects on health. People are classifi ...
.
WDTC1 is a gene that codes for 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 ...
acting as a suppressor in lipid accumulation. WDTC1 protein consists of seven
WD40 domains, three
transient receptor potential channel
Transient receptor potential channels (TRP channels) are a group of ion channels located mostly on the plasma membrane of numerous animal cell types. Most of these are grouped into two broad groups: Group 1 includes TRPC ( "C" for canonical), TRP ...
protein-protein interaction domains, DDB1 binding elements, and a
prenylated C-terminus. Reduced expression or disruption of WDTC1 gene is associated with obesity, increased
triglyceride
A triglyceride (from '' tri-'' and '' glyceride''; also TG, triacylglycerol, TAG, or triacylglyceride) is an ester derived from glycerol and three fatty acids.
Triglycerides are the main constituents of body fat in humans and other vertebrates ...
accumulation, and
adipogenesis
Adipogenesis is the formation of adipocytes (fat cells) from stem cells. It involves 2 phases, determination, and terminal differentiation. Determination is mesenchymal stem cells committing to the adipocyte precursor cells, also known as lipoblast ...
. WDTC1 is a factor in a complex composed of
DDB1,
CUL4, and ROC1 that restricts transcription in adipogenesis.
Model organisms
Studies of phenotype of mice showed that having a loss of an allele resulted in obesity and poor metabolic profiles.
Transgenic
A transgene is a gene that has been transferred naturally, or by any of a number of genetic engineering techniques, from one organism to another. The introduction of a transgene, in a process known as transgenesis, has the potential to change the ...
expression of the WDTC1 gene in mice showed the opposite effect with mice having less adipose.
References
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External links
Born lucky: Scientists discover "skinny gene" - MSNBC