Description
Product Characteristics: Synaptotagmins constitute a family of membrane-trafficking proteins that are characterized by an N-terminal transmembrane region (TMR), a variable linker, and two C-terminal C2 domains - C2A and C2B. There are 15 members in the mammalian synaptotagmin family. There are several C2-domain containing protein families that are related to synaptotagmins, including transmembrane (Ferlins, E-Syts, and MCTPs) and soluble (RIMs, Munc13s, synaptotagmin-related proteins and B/K) proteins. The synaptotagmins are integral membrane proteins of synaptic vesicles thought to serve as Ca(2+) sensors in the process of vesicular trafficking and exocytosis. Calcium binding to synaptotagmin participates in triggering neurotransmitter release at the synapse. The first domain mediates Ca(2+)-dependent phospholipid binding. The second C2 domain mediates interaction with Stonin 2. Synaptotagmin may have a regulatory role in the membrane interactions during trafficking of synaptic vesicles at the active zone of the synapse. It binds acidic phospholipids with a specificity that requires the presence of both an acidic head group and a diacylbackbone. A Ca(2+)-dependent interaction between synaptotagmin and putative receptors for activated protein kinase C has also been reported. It can bind to at least three additional proteins in a Ca(2+)-independent manner, these are neurexins, syntaxin and AP2.
Target Information: This gene is a member of the synaptotagmin gene family and encodes a protein similar to other family members that mediate calcium-dependent regulation of membrane trafficking in synaptic transmission. A similar protein in rodents mediates hormone secretion and lysosome exocytosis. In humans, expression of this gene has been associated with prostate cancer. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding multiple isoforms have been observed for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2011]