microtubule-associated protein 6; MAP-6; Stable tubule-only polypeptide; STOP (MAP6 KIAA1878)

Function

• role in microtubule stabilization in many celltypes, including neuronal cells
• specifically has microtubule cold stabilizing activity
• interacts with calmodulin (via C-terminus); the interaction is dependent on Ca+2 (putative)

Structure

belongs to the STOP family

Compartment

• cytoplasm, cytoskeleton, Golgi

Alternative splicing

named isoforms=2

Expression

• expressed in brain (at protein level)
• expressed in spinal cord

Pathology

• colocalizes with neurofilament (NF)-rich inclusions in neurons in the spinal cord & brain of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
• isoform 2 expression is up-regulated in the prefrontal cortex (Brodmann's area 46) of patients with schizophrenia (postmortem brain study)

More general terms

• phosphoprotein
• microtubule-associated protein (MAP)

Database

• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q96JE9.html