Filamin A, alpha (FLNA) 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 ''FLNA''

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 ...

Structure

The structure of Filamin A, alpha includes an

actin Actin is a family of globular multi-functional proteins that form microfilaments in the cytoskeleton, and the thin filaments in muscle fibrils. It is found in essentially all eukaryotic cells, where it may be present at a concentration of ...

binding N terminal domain, 24 internal repeats and 2 hinge regions.

Function

Actin-binding protein, or

filamin Filamins are a class of proteins that hold two actin filaments at large angles. Filamin protein in mammals is made up of an actin-binding domain at its N-terminus that is followed by 24 immunoglobulin-like repeat modules of roughly 95 amino acids ...

, is a 280-kD protein that crosslinks

actin filaments Microfilaments, also called actin filaments, are protein filaments in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells that form part of the cytoskeleton. They are primarily composed of polymers of actin, but are modified by and interact with numerous other p ...

into orthogonal networks in cortical

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 ...

and participates in the anchoring of membrane proteins for the actin

cytoskeleton The cytoskeleton is a complex, dynamic network of interlinking protein filaments present in the cytoplasm of all cells, including those of bacteria and archaea. In eukaryotes, it extends from the cell nucleus to the cell membrane and is compos ...

. Remodeling of the cytoskeleton is central to the modulation of cell shape and migration. Filamin A, encoded by the FLNA gene, is a widely expressed filamin that regulates the reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton by interacting with

integrins Integrins are transmembrane receptors that help cell–cell and cell– extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion. Upon ligand binding, integrins activate signal transduction pathways that mediate cellular signals such as regulation of the cell cycle, ...

, transmembrane receptor complexes, and secondary messengers. At least 31 disease-causing mutations in this gene have been discovered.

DNA repair

Interaction of FLNA with the

BRCA1 Breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''BRCA1'' () gene. Orthologs are common in other vertebrate species, whereas invertebrate genomes may encode a more distantly related gene. ''BRCA1'' is a ...

protein is required for efficient regulation of early stages of

DNA repair DNA repair is a collection of processes by which a cell (biology), cell identifies and corrects damage to the DNA molecules that encode its genome. A weakened capacity for DNA repair is a risk factor for the development of cancer. DNA is cons ...

processes. FLNA is implicated in the control of the DNA repair process of

homologous recombination Homologous recombination is a type of genetic recombination in which genetic information is exchanged between two similar or identical molecules of double-stranded or single-stranded nucleic acids (usually DNA as in Cell (biology), cellular organi ...

and

non-homologous end joining Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) is a pathway that repairs double-strand breaks in DNA. It is called "non-homologous" because the break ends are directly ligated without the need for a homologous template, in contrast to homology directed repair ...

Interactions

Filamin has been shown to

interact Advocates for Informed Choice, dba interACT or interACT Advocates for Intersex Youth, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization advocating for the legal and human rights of children with intersex traits. The organization was founded in 2006 and fo ...

with: *

BRCA2 ''BRCA2'' and BRCA2 () are human genes and their protein products, respectively. The official symbol (BRCA2, italic for the gene, nonitalic for the protein) and the official name (originally breast cancer 2; currently BRCA2, DNA repair associate ...

, *

CD29 Integrin beta-1 (ITGB1), also known as CD29, is a cell surface receptor that in humans is encoded by the ''ITGB1'' gene. This integrin associates with integrin alpha 1 and integrin alpha 2 to form integrin complexes which function as collagen ...

* CASR, * FBLIM1, * FILIP1, *

FLNB Filamin B, beta (FLNB), also known as Filamin B, beta (truncated actin binding protein 278 homolog), is a cytoplasmic protein which in humans is encoded by the ''FLNB'' gene. FLNB regulates intracellular communication and signalling by cross-link ...

, *

NPHP1 Nephrocystin-1 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''NPHP1'' gene. Function This gene encodes a protein with src homology domain 3 (SH3) patterns. Mutations in this gene cause familial juvenile nephronophthisis. Interactions NPHP ...

, *

RALA Ras-related protein Ral-A (RalA) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''RALA'' gene on chromosome 7. This protein is one of two paralogs of the Ral protein, the other being RalB, and part of the Ras GTPase family. RalA functions as a mol ...

, * SH2B3, * TRIO, and * VHL.

Structure

Function

DNA repair

Interactions

References

Further reading