Sarcoglycan zeta also known as SGCZ 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 ...
which in humans is encoded by the ''SGCZ''
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 ...
.
Function
The zeta-sarcoglycan gene measures over 465 kb and localizes to 8p22. This protein is part of the
sarcoglycan complex, a group of 6 proteins. The sarcoglycans are all
N-glycosylated transmembrane proteins with a short intra-cellular domain, a single transmembrane region and a large extra-cellular domain containing a carboxyl-terminal cluster with several conserved cysteine residues. The sarcoglycan complex is part of the
dystrophin
Dystrophin is a rod-shaped cytoplasmic protein, and a vital part of a protein complex that connects the cytoskeleton of a muscle fiber to the surrounding extracellular matrix through the cell membrane. This complex is variously known as the costa ...
-associated
glycoprotein
Glycoproteins are proteins which contain oligosaccharide (sugar) chains covalently attached to amino acid side-chains. The carbohydrate is attached to the protein in a cotranslational or posttranslational modification. This process is known a ...
complex (DGC), which bridges the inner
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 ...
and the
extracellular matrix
In biology, the extracellular matrix (ECM), also called intercellular matrix (ICM), is a network consisting of extracellular macromolecules and minerals, such as collagen, enzymes, glycoproteins and hydroxyapatite that provide structural and bio ...
.
Clinical significance
Zeta-sarcoglycan is reduced in mouse models of
muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophies (MD) are a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of rare neuromuscular diseases that cause progressive weakness and breakdown of skeletal muscles over time. The disorders differ as to which muscles are primarily affe ...
and SGCZ is found as a component of the vascular smooth muscle sarcoglycan complex. Hence SGCZ may be important in the pathogenesis of muscular dystrophy.
References
External links
*
LOVD mutation database
SGCZ
Further reading
*
*
*
*
{{gene-8-stub