ATP7A

Description

The ATP7A (ATPase copper transporting alpha) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome X.

The ATP7A gene provides instructions for making a protein that is important for regulating copper levels in the body. Copper is necessary for many cellular functions, but it is toxic when present in excessive amounts. The ATP7A protein is found throughout the body, except in liver cells. In the small intestine, this protein helps control the absorption of copper from food. In other cells, the ATP7A protein has a dual role and shuttles between two cellular locations. The protein normally resides in a cell structure called the Golgi apparatus, which modifies newly produced proteins, including enzymes. In the Golgi apparatus, the ATP7A protein supplies copper to certain enzymes that are critical for the structure and function of bone, skin, hair, blood vessels, and the nervous system. If copper levels in the cell environment are elevated, however, the ATP7A protein moves to the cell membrane and eliminates excess copper from the cell.

ATP-driven copper (Cu(+)) ion pump that plays an important role in intracellular copper ion homeostasis. Within a catalytic cycle, acquires Cu(+) ion from donor protein on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane and delivers it to acceptor protein on the lumenal side. The transfer of Cu(+) ion across the membrane is coupled to ATP hydrolysis and is associated with a transient phosphorylation that shifts the pump conformation from inward-facing to outward-facing state. Under physiological conditions, at low cytosolic copper concentration, it is localized at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) where it transfers Cu(+) ions to cuproenzymes of the secretory pathway. Upon elevated cytosolic copper concentrations, it relocalizes to the plasma membrane where it is responsible for the export of excess Cu(+) ions. May play a dual role in neuron function and survival by regulating cooper efflux and neuronal transmission at the synapse as well as by supplying Cu(+) ions to enzymes such as PAM, TYR and SOD3. In the melanosomes of pigmented cells, provides copper cofactor to TYR to form an active TYR holoenzyme for melanin biosynthesis. {ECO:0000250|UniProtKB:Q64430, ECO:0000269|PubMed:10419525, ECO:0000269|PubMed:11092760, ECO:0000269|PubMed:19453293, ECO:0000269|PubMed:19917612, ECO:0000269|PubMed:28389643, ECO:0000269|PubMed:31283225}

ATP7A is also known as DSMAX, HMNX, MK, MNK, SMAX3.

Associated Diseases

Comprehensive carrier screening

WES Whole Exome Sequencing

Clinical Exome Sequencing