DDX42
Description
The DDX42 (DEAD-box helicase 42) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 17.
DDX42 is an enzyme encoded by the DDX42 gene in humans. It belongs to the Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp (DEAD) box protein family, which are putative RNA helicases involved in various cellular processes, including translation initiation, nuclear and mitochondrial splicing, and ribosome and spliceosome assembly. These proteins play roles in embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, and cellular growth and division. Two transcript variants, encoding the same protein, have been identified for this gene. DDX42 has been shown to interact with SF3B1.
DDX42 is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that binds to partially double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to unwind RNA secondary structures. This process is facilitated by single-strand binding proteins. DDX42 also mediates RNA duplex formation, displacing single-strand RNA binding proteins. ATP and ADP regulate DDX42's activity: ATP binding and hydrolysis promote RNA strand separation, while the ADP-bound form encourages annealing of complementary RNA strands. DDX42 is crucial for the assembly of the 17S U2 SnRNP complex of the spliceosome, a complex that removes introns from pre-mRNAs. It transiently associates with the SF3B subcomplex of the 17S U2 SnRNP complex before being released after fulfilling its assembly role. DDX42 interacts with TP53BP2, counteracting its apoptosis-stimulating activity and promoting cell survival. This interaction relocates TP53BP2 to the cytoplasm.
DDX42 is also known as DDX42P, RHELP, RNAHP, SF3B8, SF3b125.
