gelsolin; actin-depolymerizing factor; ADF; brevin; AGEL (GSN)

Function

• Ca+2-triggered actin filament-severing protein
• binds to the plus (or barbed) ends of actin monomers or filaments preventing monomer exchange (end-blocking or capping)
• can promote the assembly of monomers into filaments (nucleation) as well as sever filaments already formed
• remains tightly bound to barbed end of F-actin after severing filament
• phosphorylation on Tyr-86, Tyr-409, Tyr-465, Tyr-603 & Tyr-651 in vitro is induced in presence of phospholipids
• binds to actin & to fibronectin

Structure

• belongs to the villin/gelsolin family
• contains 6 gelsolin-like repeats

Compartment

• isoform 2: cytoplasm, cytoskeleton
• isoform 1: secreted

Alternative initiation

• named isoforms=2;
• initiator Met-1 may be either removed, or N-acetylated

Expression

• phagocytic cells, platelets, fibroblasts, nonmuscle cells, smooth muscle & skeletal muscle cells

Pathology

• defects in GSN are the cause of amyloidosis type 5 (Finnish type amyloidosis)

More general terms

• Ca+2 binding protein
• cytoskeletal protein

Database

• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P06396.html
• Entrez gene: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=gene&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Graphics&list_uids=2934
• Kegg: http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?hsa:2934
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/105120
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/137350