RNA-binding protein Raly (hnRNP associated with lethal yellow homolog, autoantigen p542, RALY, P542, Ay protein)

Function

• RNA binding protein
• heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP)

Compartment

nucleus

Alternative splicing

named isoforms=2

Expression

• expresseed in heart, brain, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, pancreas > placenta

Pathology

• autoantigen found in infectious mononucleosis caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
• contains an epitope recognized by B-cells, which cross-reacts with the BKRF1 protein (EBNA-1 nuclear protein) of EBV In Mouse Gene associated lethal yellow (Ay) mutation. Homozygousity leads to embryonic death shortly after implantation. Heterozygousity leads to obesity, increased tumor susceptibility & increased activity of the agouti coat color gene. The Ay deletion results in splicing of the 5' untranslated region of the Raly gene to Agouti protein coding sequences. This suggests that ectopic expression of the normal Agouti protein via a fusion protein is responsible for the pleiotropic effect associated with Ay heterozygousity. Raly is expressed in the unfertilized egg as well as during early embryonic development. It is also expressed in adult brain with increased expression associated with diet high in omega-6 unsaturated fat.

More general terms

• RNA-binding protein
• heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP)

Database

• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q9UKM9.html