Poly(rC)-binding protein 4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''PCBP4'' gene. This gene encodes a member of the KH domain protein subfamily. Proteins of this subfamily, also referred to as alpha-CPs, bind to

RNA Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polymeric molecule essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes. RNA and deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) are nucleic acids. Along with lipids, proteins, and carbohydra ...

with a specificity for C-rich

pyrimidine Pyrimidine (; ) is an aromatic, heterocyclic, organic compound similar to pyridine (). One of the three diazines (six-membered heterocyclics with two nitrogen atoms in the ring), it has nitrogen atoms at positions 1 and 3 in the ring. The other ...

regions. Alpha-CPs play important roles in post-transcriptional activities and have different cellular distributions. This gene is induced by the p53 tumor suppressor, and the encoded protein can suppress

cell proliferation Cell proliferation is the process by which ''a cell grows and divides to produce two daughter cells''. Cell proliferation leads to an exponential increase in cell number and is therefore a rapid mechanism of tissue growth. Cell proliferation re ...

by inducing

apoptosis Apoptosis (from grc, ἀπόπτωσις, apóptōsis, 'falling off') is a form of programmed cell death that occurs in multicellular organisms. Biochemical events lead to characteristic cell changes (morphology) and death. These changes incl ...

and cell cycle arrest in G(2)-M. This gene's protein is found in the cytoplasm, yet it lacks the nuclear localization signals found in other subfamily members. Multiple alternatively spliced transcript variants have been described, but the full-length nature for only some has been determined.

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