The type 2 isoenzyme is the most widely expressed transglutaminase in mammals displaying several intra- and extracellular activities depending on its location (protein modification, modulation of gene expression, membrane signalling and stabilization of cellular interactions with the extracellular matrix) in relation to cell death, survival and differentiation. In contrast with the appreciable knowledge about the regulation of the enzymatic activities, much less is known concerning its inducible expression, which is altered in inflammatory and neoplastic diseases. In this context, we first summarize the gene's basic features including single-nucleotide polymorphism characterization, epigenetic DNA methylation and identification of regulatory regions and of transcription factor-binding sites at the gene promoter, which could concur to direct gene expression. Further aspects related to alternative splicing events and to ncRNAs (microRNAs and lncRNAs) are involved in the modulation of its expression. Notably, this important gene displays transcriptional variants relevant for the protein's function with the occurrence of at least seven transcripts which support the synthesis of five isoforms with modified catalytic activities. The different expression of the TG2 (type 2 transglutaminase) variants might be useful for dictating the multiple biological features of the protein and their alterations in pathology, as well as from a therapeutic perspective.
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May 2018
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A depiction of Clostridium spp. In this issue of the Biochemical Journal, St. John et al. examine the mechanisms of a novel GH30-8 endoxylanase in solventogenic Clostridium; for details see pages 1533–1551.
Review Article|
May 15 2018
Spotlight on the transglutaminase 2 gene: a focus on genomic and transcriptional aspects
Nicoletta Bianchi;
Nicoletta Bianchi
1Department of Biomedical Sciences and Specialist Surgery, Section of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Medical Genetics, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
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Simone Beninati;
Simone Beninati
2Department of Biology, University of Rome ‘Tor Vergata’, Rome, Italy
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Carlo M. Bergamini
1Department of Biomedical Sciences and Specialist Surgery, Section of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Medical Genetics, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Correspondence: Carlo M. Bergamini (bgc@unife.it)
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
December 04 2017
Revision Received:
April 10 2018
Accepted:
April 12 2018
Online ISSN: 1470-8728
Print ISSN: 0264-6021
© 2018 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society
2018
Biochem J (2018) 475 (9): 1643–1667.
Article history
Received:
December 04 2017
Revision Received:
April 10 2018
Accepted:
April 12 2018
Citation
Nicoletta Bianchi, Simone Beninati, Carlo M. Bergamini; Spotlight on the transglutaminase 2 gene: a focus on genomic and transcriptional aspects. Biochem J 15 May 2018; 475 (9): 1643–1667. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20170601
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