StAR-related lipid transfer domain protein 13 (STARD13) also known as deleted in liver cancer 2 protein (DLC-2) is a

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respon ...

that in humans is encoded by the ''STARD13''

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

and a member of the DLC family of proteins.

Function and structure

STARD13 serves as a Rho GTPase-activating protein (GAP), a type of protein that regulates members of the Rho family of GTPases. It selectively activates

RhoA Transforming protein RhoA, also known as Ras homolog family member A (RhoA), is a small GTPase protein in the Rho family of GTPases that in humans is encoded by the ''RHOA'' gene. While the effects of RhoA activity are not all well known, it i ...

and CDC42 and suppresses cell growth by inhibiting

actin Actin is a protein family, family of Globular protein, globular multi-functional proteins that form microfilaments in the cytoskeleton, and the thin filaments in myofibril, muscle fibrils. It is found in essentially all Eukaryote, eukaryotic cel ...

stress fiber assembly. The protein consists of an N-terminal sterile alpha motif (SAM) domain, a serine-rich domain, a RhoGAP domain and at the C-terminus, a StAR-related lipid-transfer domain (

START Start can refer to multiple topics: *Takeoff, the phase of flight where an aircraft transitions from moving along the ground to flying through the air * Starting lineup in sports * Standing start, and rolling start, in an auto race Acronyms * ...

Tissue distribution and pathology

The protein was identified in part through its differential expression in

cancers Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal ble ...

. A low level of STARD13 was observed in less differentiated

hepatocellular carcinoma Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer in adults and is currently the most common cause of death in people with cirrhosis. HCC is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. It occurs in th ...

tissue with higher RhoA expression. A small patient study finds that the absence of STARD13 in hepatocellular carcinomas correlates with higher levels of RhoA and a poorer

prognosis Prognosis (Greek: πρόγνωσις "fore-knowing, foreseeing") is a medical term for predicting the likely or expected development of a disease, including whether the signs and symptoms will improve or worsen (and how quickly) or remain stabl ...

than patients with carcinomas that were STARD13-positive.

Function and structure

Tissue distribution and pathology

References

Further reading