Cytohesin-4 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 ''CYTH4''

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 ...

. This gene encodes a member of the cytohesin (CYTH) family, formerly known as the PSCD (

pleckstrin homology Pleckstrin homology domain (PH domain) or (PHIP) is a protein domain of approximately 120 amino acids that occurs in a wide range of proteins involved in intracellular signaling or as constituents of the cytoskeleton. This domain can bind phosph ...

, Sec7 and

coiled-coil A coiled coil is a structural motif in proteins in which two to seven alpha-helices are coiled together like the strands of a rope. ( Dimers and trimers are the most common types.) They have been found in roughly 5-10% of proteins and have a v ...

domains) family. Members of this family have identical structural organization that consists of an N-terminal coiled-coil motif, a central Sec7 domain, and a C-terminal pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. The coiled-coil motif is involved in homodimerization, the Sec7 domain contains guanine-nucleotide exchange protein (GEP) activity, and the PH domain interacts with

phospholipids Phospholipids are a class of lipids whose molecule has a hydrophilic "head" containing a phosphate group and two hydrophobic "tails" derived from fatty acids, joined by an alcohol residue (usually a glycerol molecule). Marine phospholipids typi ...

and is responsible for association of CYTHs with membranes. Members of this family appear to mediate the regulation of protein sorting and

membrane trafficking Membrane vesicle trafficking in eukaryotic animal cells involves movement of biochemical signal molecules from synthesis-and-packaging locations in the Golgi body to specific release locations on the inside of the plasma membrane of the secretory c ...

. CYTH4 exhibits GEP activity in vitro with both ARF1 and

ARF5 ADP-ribosylation factor 5 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''ARF5'' gene. ADP-ribosylation factor 5 (ARF5) is a member of the human ARF gene family. These genes encode small guanine nucleotide-binding proteins that stimulate the ADP- ...

but is inactive with

ARF6 ADP-ribosylation factor 6 (ARF6) is a member of the ADP ribosylation factor family of GTP-binding proteins. ARF6 has a variety of cellular functions that are frequently involved in trafficking of biological membranes and transmembrane protein c ...

. The CYTH4 and CYTH1 gene structures are very similar.

References

Further reading