SLIT and NTRK-like protein 6 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 ''SLITRK6''

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

Members of the SLITRK family, such as SLITRK6, are integral membrane proteins with 2 N-terminal

leucine-rich repeat A leucine-rich repeat (LRR) is a protein structural motif that forms an α/β horseshoe tertiary structure, fold. It is composed of repeating 20–30 amino acid stretches that are unusually rich in the hydrophobic amino acid leucine. These Pr ...

(LRR) domains similar to those of SLIT proteins (see

SLIT1 Slit homolog 1 protein is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''SLIT1'' gene. References Further reading

* * * * * * * * * * {{protein-stub Slit proteins ...

). Most SLITRKs, including SLITRK6, also have C-terminal regions that share homology with neurotrophin receptors (see

NTRK1 Tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA), also known as high affinity nerve growth factor receptor, neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 1, or TRK1-transforming tyrosine kinase protein is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ''NTRK1'' gen ...

). SLITRKs are expressed predominantly in neural tissues and have neurite-modulating activity.

Clinical significance

Mutations in SLITRK6 cause high

myopia Myopia, also known as near-sightedness and short-sightedness, is an eye condition where light from distant objects focuses in front of, instead of on, the retina. As a result, distant objects appear blurry, while close objects appear normal. ...

and deafness in humans and mice.

As a drug target

The protein is the target for the antibody-drug conjugate ASG-15ME which is in phase 1 clinical trials for

urothelial cancer Transitional cell carcinoma is a type of cancer that arises from the transitional epithelium, a tissue lining the inner surface of these hollow organs. It typically occurs in the urothelium of the urinary system; in that case, it is also called ...