LACTB2
Description
The LACTB2 (lactamase beta 2) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 8.
LACTB2, located on chromosome 8, is a gene that encodes a protein with a metallo β-lactamase (MBL) fold, containing two zinc ions in its active site. This protein family includes members that function as ribonucleases, deoxyribonucleases, and other metabolic enzymes. LACTB2 specifically acts as a mitochondrial endoribonuclease, potentially involved in the degradation of mitochondrial mRNAs. A fusion protein, LACTB2-NCOA2, has been identified in colorectal cancer (CRC) cases, resulting from a rearrangement on chromosome 8. This fusion protein lacks functional domains from the original genes, suggesting it may be a nonfunctional product. The presence of this fusion protein was observed in 6.1% of CRC cases, with a significant downregulation of NCOA2 in these cases. The expression of wild-type NCOA2, but not the LACTB2-NCOA2 fusion protein, inhibited the pro-tumorigenic characteristics of CRC cells, while knockdown of endogenous NCOA2 in normal colonocytes had the opposite effect.
LACTB2 is also known as CGI-83.
