KALRN
Description
The KALRN (kalirin RhoGEF kinase) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 3.
Kalirin, encoded by the KALRN gene, is a protein involved in nerve growth and axonal development. It belongs to the Dbl family of proteins and acts as a Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor. Its name reflects its ability to interact with numerous proteins, similar to the Hindu goddess Kali. Kalirin shares significant sequence similarity with the rat DUO protein and the human TRIO protein. However, unlike TRIO, which is expressed in various tissues, Kalirin isoforms are predominantly found in the brain. Several Kalirin isoforms are generated through alternative splicing, and one isoform, Kalirin-7, is crucial for synapse remodeling in mature cortical neurons. Kalirin-7 is thought to play a role in the development of schizophrenia, as demonstrated by schizophrenia-like symptoms in kalirin knockout mice. There is also a potential link between Kalirin-7 and Alzheimer's disease. The KALRN gene has been associated with multiple neurological disorders through large exome and genome sequencing studies, postmortem analyses, and clinical investigations.
KALRN is also known as ARHGEF24, CHD5, CHDS5, DUET, DUO, HAPIP, KALNC2, TRAD.
