YWHAZ

What is YWHAZ protein?

YWHAZ (tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein zeta) gene is a protein coding gene which situated on the long arm of chromosome 8 at locus 8q22. This gene product belongs to the 14-3-3 family of proteins which mediate signal transduction by binding to phosphoserine-containing proteins. This highly conserved protein family is found in both plants and mammals, and this protein is 99% identical to the mouse, rat and sheep orthologs. The encoded protein interacts with IRS1 protein, suggesting a role in regulating insulin sensitivity. The YWHAZ protein is consisted of 245 amino acids and its molecular mass is approximately 27.7 kDa.

What is the function of YWHAZ protein?

YWHAZ also known as 14-3-3ζ, acts as an adapter protein implicated in the regulation of a large spectrum of both general and specialized signaling pathways. It binds to a large number of partners, usually by recognition of a phosphoserine or phosphothreonine motif, leading to the modulation of the activity of the binding partner. It also promotes cytosolic retention and inactivation of TFEB transcription factor by binding to phosphorylated TFEB.

YWHAZ Related Signaling Pathway

YWHAZ protein is a highly conserved serine/threonine kinase protein binding chaperone involved in the regulation of several signaling pathways, including PI3K/Akt, MAPK/ERK, Wnt/β-catenin, JNK, etc. In the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, YWHAZ interacts with Akt protein to promote the activation and stabilization of Akt, thus participating in the regulation of cell proliferation, survival and cell cycle.

Fig1. 14-3-3σ may generate an increase in cell proliferation, an increase in the proportion of cells in S phase, and a contribution to the chemoresistance of CCA toward gemcitabine. (Qiao Wu, 2020)

YWHAZ Related Diseases

YWHAZ protein has been implicated in the occurrence and development of many diseases, including cancer, neurological diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Several studies have found that YWHAZ is abnormally expressed in various types of cancer and is associated with tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. In addition, YWHAZ is also involved in the development and functional regulation of nerve cells, playing an important role in neurological diseases like autism, schizophrenia and so on. In addition, YWHAZ has been associated with diseases of the cardiovascular system, such as atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction.

Bioapplications of YWHAZ

The application of YWHAZ protein in the field of biology is mainly focused on the study of disease mechanisms, especially in the fields of oncology, neurobiology and developmental biology.