PRC1

Description

The PRC1 (protein regulator of cytokinesis 1) is a protein-coding gene located on chromosome 15.

PRC1, encoded by the PRC1 gene in humans, is a protein involved in cytokinesis, the process of cell division. It is highly expressed during the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle, then decreases dramatically after mitosis. PRC1 is located in the nucleus during interphase, associates with the mitotic spindle during anaphase, and localizes to the cell midbody during cytokinesis. It was identified in 1998 as a substrate of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), and its absence disrupts spindle midzone assembly. PRC1 has at least three alternatively spliced transcript variants and shares sequence homology with other proteins involved in microtubule regulation. Its crystal structure reveals a lengthy molecule with a C-terminal spectrin microtubule-binding domain, an extended rod domain, and an N-terminal dimerization domain. The rod domain and N-terminus facilitate binding of other proteins, such as Kinesin-4.

PRC1 is a key regulator of cytokinesis, the process that divides a cell into two daughter cells. It functions by cross-linking antiparallel microtubules, which are protein filaments that make up the cell's skeleton, at an average distance of 35 nanometers. This cross-linking is essential for controlling the formation and timing of the midzone, a structure that forms in the middle of the dividing cell and helps to guide the division process. PRC1 is also important for the proper localization of other proteins involved in cytokinesis, including KIF14, PLK1, and ECT2. Furthermore, PRC1 promotes bladder cancer cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis, indicating that it has oncogenic potential.

PRC1 is also known as ASE1, MAP65.

Associated Diseases

WES Whole Exome Sequencing