background:
The Elav-like genes encode for a family of RNA-binding proteins. Elav, a Drosophila protein and the first described member, is expressed immediately after neuroblastic differentiation into neurons and is necessary for neuronal differentiation and maintenance. Several mammalian Elav-like proteins, designated HuC, HuD and Hel-N1, are also expressed in postmitotic neurons. An additional mammalian homolog, HuR, which is also designated HuA, is ubiquitously expressed and is also overexpressed in a wide variety of tumors. Characteristically, these homologs all contain three RNA recognition motifs (RRM) and they specifically bind to AU-rich elements (ARE) in the 3'-untranslated region of mRNAs transcripts. ARE sites target mRNA for rapid degradation and thereby regulate the expression levels of genes involved in cell growth and differentiation. When Elav-like proteins associate with these ARE sites this degradation is inhibited, leading to an increased stability of the corresponding transcript. Elav proteins function within the nucleus, and they are shuttled between the nucleus and cytoplasm by a nuclear export signal, which is a regulatory feature of the Elav-like proteins as it limits their accessibility to ARE sites.
Function:
ELAV2 binds RNA and seems to recognize a GAAA motif and is neuronal specific. ELAVL4 may play a role in neuron-specific RNA processing. It contains 3 RNA recognition motif (RRM) domains and is localised to brain tissue. ELAVL4 has been linked with the disease, paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis sensory neuropathy, which is associated with small cell lung cancer and is characterized by dementia, sensory loss, and other neurological disabilities. This disease may result from an immune response primarily directed against a small cell lung tumor antigen which is misdirected against similar antigens expressed in brain (such as ELAVL4).
Subcellular Location:
Interacts with IGF2BP1.
Tissue Specificity:
Brain; neural-specific.
Similarity:
Belongs to the RRM elav family.
Contains 3 RRM (RNA recognition motif) domains.
Database links:
UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot: Q12926.2 UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot: P26378.2
Important Note:
This product as supplied is intended for research use only, not for use in human, therapeutic or diagnostic applications.
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